In the End…

….the organization that you create is equal to the vision and passion you have laid out. Leadership is about crafting and maintaining the compelling vision of what the organization wishes to accomplish, and staying true to that vision. Too often the vision is confusing with profitability with profits becoming the driving force. Leaders, no managers, become consumed by the quest for profit, and disregard the vision from the organization viewpoint and from a personal viewpoint. As the revenue increases the organizational oversight, ie. board of directors, investors, etc, tend to overlook the compounding issues that surface. In the end, the organization tumbles from their status into has-been status to rebuild once again.

Management is not leadership, nor is leadership management. They are mutually exclusive and should not be intertwined or considered the same. Current business school teachings consider them the same thing that creates the wrong understanding and context for students. When students enroll in a leadership studies they are in reality, studying how to be a manager. Athletics further the confusion with talk on leadership when what they are meaning is the ability to execute, a self-management process.

As a leader, it is up to you to uphold the vision from an organizational viewpoint, but more importantly, from a personal viewpoint. You must live the vision as well in private. There are many instances where “leaders” have not upheld the vision in private. Using professional sports as an example, many of the “leaders” have disregarded the policies of the teams and the leagues concerning COVID-19. As a result, games have been canceled, seasons shortened or put in jeopardy, infecting teammates, and so forth, all because they did not believe or embrace the vision of the league or the team.

Becoming a leader is the pinnacle of one’s career. Years of dedication, smart work, and personal sacrifice are normally the steps to a true leadership position. While many have made the sacrifices, not all will make it to the end point. Nonetheless, at whatever position you find yourself, you are an example for others to emulate or model themselves after. Your model of self and priorities will help to establish a long line of future leaders who will in turn help others succeed, and in the end…help the organization succeed.

Dr. Lawson is an executive coach and a Professor of Economics and Strategy. He writes on business issues, education, and developing today’s modern executives. He can be found on Twitter @dplwsn and #TMIBS.

© Dr. David Lawson 1997 – 2020