Manage up. Lead out and down.

You ARE A Manager

If you work FOR anyone, in any context, you’re a manager. You mange your boss’ expectations of when you will have something completed. You manage your customer’s expectations of what the software will look and behave like, how it will perform, and when it will be ready for testing. You manage your own time and resources to make sure that you can get things done, prioritizing based on many factors (often external factors and influence). The point is – you ARE a manager. Period. All of you. End of discussion.

You SHOULD BE A Leader

If you work WITH anyone, in any context, you should be a leader. You should never manage those you work with or those that report to you in any capacity. You should lead them by enabling them and empowering them to get their job done. You don’t manage your peers – you lead them. You influence them by showing them new and better ways of working, discussing the pros and cons and coming to conclusions that benefit everyone involved. You lead your subordinates the same way, but with the option of overriding decisions for business and/or quality and technical reasons. You lead your subordinates by blocking the stupid and detrimental from them. You lead your subordinates by letting them get their job done while you head off the office politics.

Manager And/Or Leader?

Are you a manager? Yes. Are you a leader? You should be.