Do You Have the Thing?

SOME PEOPLE JUST have that thing, you know? The thing that inspires people to look toward them for guidance, for purpose, for clarity on how to proceed. Some people are just born leaders.

Others are put in positions of management, be it through hard work and achievement or favoritism and nepotism, whether they will be any good at the job or not.

Leadership is an honor. Management can be a drag. It honestly isn’t a distinction I ever gave much thought to but hearing all the ways readers — and experts — differentiate between a manager and a leader was fascinating. Managers handle day-to-day. Leaders think big picture. Managers make and enforce rules. Leaders motivate people toward action. People complain about their managers. People applaud their leaders.

But what really struck me is how much harder it is to be a leader. Not because you don’t have the “thing” but because there is no clocking out. If a project or business fails, a leader takes the blame and consequences squarely on their shoulders. A manager just looks for their next job.

Seems our columnists really liked the topic as well and several provided their approaches to leadership. I love Dr. Rhue’s explanation of the HIPPO effect (page 40), and Kayla Ashlee provides some tangible advice for becoming more leaderly (page 43).

This month’s Real Deal also inadvertently dug into this issue. After reading The Big Story (page 30) and Real Deal (page 48), would you say that this owner is more of a manager or a leader? I suppose an argument can be made for the fact that he is a bad manager… but with some of the advice of the readers who wrote in, he’ll be a leader in no time!

What nearly everyone did agree on is that to run a successful business, you need both. And when that business is an independent eyewear boutique or private practice with a small staff, often both those roles fall to one person. No easy feat. Luckily, here we come with an issue full of ideas on how to inspire, not draw ire.

Best wishes for your business,