Managing vs. Leading
a free guide for academic leaders
Congratulations! You've been promoted into a leadership role.
Congratulations! You've been promoted into a leadership role.
Whether you're a Department Chair, Program Director, or Dean—or have the more generic title of "Manager" or "Director"—you might be wondering what your job actually is.
What does it mean to be a manager vs. a leader?
Those aren't just titles.
They are ways of being.
In your campus role, you'll need both.
In your campus role, you'll need both.
The truth is most people don't want to be managed. They want to be led by someone who trusts and inspires them.
But their hopes can run right up against your job description. You still have responsibility for your colleagues' work. Some level of management is necessary.
But to really get important work done, you'll need to lead: develop trust, grant autonomy, address conflict, accept mistakes, and more.
And leading takes different tools and behaviors than managing.
But to really get important work done, you'll need to lead: develop trust, grant autonomy, address conflict, accept mistakes, and more.
And leading takes different tools and behaviors than managing.
Sometimes you're the one with the answers.
Other times you're creating space for people to find their own.
Alison King refers to "the sage on the stage"—the all-knowing person in charge—and "the guide on the side"—the curious person who accompanies someone as they learn.
Manage activities. Lead people.
Managing Skills
If you're in a leadership position—whatever your title or role—you're responsible for ensuring that certain things get done. You'll supervise tasks and activities, and also manage processes.
When you're managing, you are retaining autonomy and responsibility for the work, while ensuring that others do it properly.
Leading Skills
You shift into leadership when you encourage people to be creative and self-guided. You can do this using coaching skills.
Yes, you're still responsible for the work your team does.
But you can empower them to do their best work, while protecting your precious bandwidth.
How much time are you losing by managing the wrong things?
You were promoted because you're so damn competent. But being the most competent person on your team is the fast track to burnout.
Instead of burning out, learn to move fluidly between managing other people's activities and leading by helping them solve their own problems. This frees up your time and preserves your focus and capacity.