Influencing the Organisation By Tony Marven

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There is a saying about management that suggests some managers are so focussed on the details of a business, that when the Titanic was sinking those particular managers were still straightening chairs in the dining room. Whether we love ‘em or hate ‘em, managers are here to stay, and their job is fundamentally to manage the resources within an organisation for optimum efficiency and effectiveness, and by doing so to achieve the organisation’s goals. To help them do this they have the gift of authority and power over the organisation’s resources.

Managers have a reputation for working with limited resources, and getting the most out of money, materials, time and people. And today we hear so much about global competition, and the need for creativity and innovation, that organisations need more than good management; they need inspirational and transformational leadership. And so we are presented with a conflict that, when handled well, can create a dynamic tension between order and chaos; or status quo and change. So if managing is about keeping things under control, leadership is about creating the climate or conditions for change. The challenge then, is to decide where you can be most effective and useful to your organisation – as a manager, a leader, or a subtle balance of both?

As a manager:

o Leaders will be planning to undo what you have under your control.

o Employees who prefer structure and procedure are likely to perform well in your team and be easily motivated.

o Employees who prefer autonomy, variety and change may seem awkward or distant to you and resist your attempts to motivate them.

As a leader:

o Managers may be cautious and/or suspicious of your unpredictability.

o Employees who prefer structure and procedure may appear to have a limited range of capability and find it difficult to respond positively to new ideas.

o Employees who prefer autonomy, variety and change are more likely to work well with you.

As a manager / leader:

o You may appear to others as inconsistent and/or unpredictable.

o Without some consistency in your approach to situations you may find that people will not trust you.

o Your success will require continuous communication for the need to innovate and improve whilst having systems and processes in place that work for both customer and company.

o With a consistent approach, incorporating both structure and creativity, you will have an influence with people from both management and leadership ends of the working style continuum.


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Visit our website to get the exercise, designed as a workshop session, to help you recognise the differences between leadership and management, and to begin the process of defining your role as either a manager, leader, or a mix that incorporates both styles.http://www.quadrant1.co.uk/newsletters/