Managing by Power OR Impact?

“The key to successful leadership today is influence, not authority.” — Kenneth Blanchard

You might think that when you are in a leadership position, managing people gets easy. However, managing people has got the toughest thing in the world. As you grow professionally, the demand to work well with your colleagues grows exponentially. At some point, I believe that people are paid to manage people rather than their technical skills.

But it still surprises me how many manage through their managerial style. While it’s always easier to manage through the other person’s style. How many times has a manager asked his colleagues – “Tell me about your working style. I will manage you accordingly”

Every manager starts with the assumption that his colleagues know nothing and have to be told, micromanaged. A simple conversation will eliminate this micro-management approach by half. Sadly it doesn’t happen.

It’s perhaps obvious. A blanket style is easier to work with. But then that’s not why you were chosen, why you are paid.
Manage people through their style. It’s a bit hard but impactful.

Try this approach once. Let me manage you through your style. And that’s what will make all the difference.

I find this statement thrilling – “A leader is best when people barely know he exists when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves” — Lao Tzu