Member-only story
Are you Working for a Manager or a Leader?
There’s a big difference. And it’s a big deal.
Recently I worked with an organization that hired someone to an influential leadership position. The organization had experienced a lot of turmoil in the recent years and was looking for someone to keep the rudder steady.
They, unfortunately, went too far.
The person they ended up hiring was a dyed-in-the-wool middle manager. He had come from a strict, lockstep corporate culture where everything was done “a certain way.” Where the top handed down orders and everyone followed.
But what to do when you’re the one at the top?
The next few months were an absolute mess. The man was rudderless, changing his mind, his priorities, and his initiatives every time he hit a roadblock, someone complained, or someone came to him with a shiny new idea.
I ride horses (breathtaking segue way, no?) and one of the first things I learned was that when I’m leading a horse I have to look ahead. If I ever turn to look at the horse, it gets confused about who is in charge, loses trust, and starts acting out.
Leadership of the herd is a big deal. By nature, none of the horses really want to be the alpha, but they’re biologically designed to test authority. Why? Because the horse in charge is…
