4a Questions???? Comments on Facebook SIG welcome!

I have started a new question on my SIG on Facebook on the Arts Management discussion page:

What is the difference between Leadership and Management?

This appears to have been a debate going on for many years. Warren Bennis (1989) wrote a list of differences in his book "On Becoming a Leader": 

– The manager administrates, the leader innovates.

– The manager is a copy; the leader is an original.
– The manager maintains; the leader develops.
– The manager focuses on systems and structure; the leader focuses on people.
– The manager relies on control; the leader inspires trust.
– The manager has a short-range view; the leader has a long-range perspective.
– The manager asks how and when; the leader asks what and why.
– The manager has his or her eye always on the bottom line; the leader’s eye is on the horizon.
– The manager imitates; the leader originates.
– The manager accepts the status quo; the leader challenges it.
– The manager is the classic good soldier; the leader is his or her own person.
– The manager does things right; the leader does the right thing.

So a leader is the one with a vision and uses the managers to help carry out that vision and make it happen. In my current job we have an Artistic Director who makes the overall decisions on everything. He has the vision of what shows we are putting on, how we will develop these shows etc. Our producer is making this happen. He is the one who has staged the show and made any necessary changes i.e. the show running order changed to make it flow better.

This question then led me to ask these 2 sub-questions:

                                                    What makes a good Team Leader?
From looking at the above I can see a leader should possess the following attributes:
- Have a vision/innovation
- Be inspirational to people
- Focussed on a goal, have a mission to achieve
- Likable factor/ people's person
- Decisive- can make quick decisions
- Ethical- does the right thing
- Lifelong learning- open to feedback to seek improvement

What makes a good Manager?

Here is a list of attributes/skills I have viewed from good managers past and present:

- Good communicative/people skills

- Is able to motivate their team

- Is realistic about the goals they set

- Knows their strengths and weaknesses as well as their teams

- Encourages ideas from employees and listens to their employees

- Honest with employees and fair

- Good decision making skills

I feel that most people want a manager that will listen to them and communicate effectively to them. People skills for me is number one as you will have to deal with a variety of people and personalities. Learning how to keep your emotions in check and being able to stay calm in tense situations are skills you should possess. A good manager will be able to motivate their staff. This can be a simple "thank you", a small note to all the staff or a company party. For example at my current new job our Director wrote a note which stood in a huge barrel of candy. It read:

"To our new FAMILY at CELEBRATION MUSIC THEATRE and SUPERSTARZ! LIVE

Break a leg tonight! I can only imagine this magic happening with the special people who have made this dream a reality! I love each and every one of you! We are making history tonight. Let's have a Celebration tonight and every show for many, many years to come!

Much love, Greg London and the staff of Celebration Entertainment"

This meant so much to the whole company to have a special thank you and was followed by a meal at a restaurant after the show. By feeling valued as an employee it can make you want to really work hard to make the business a success. Every person currently working at the new theatre is not only thankful for their job but genuinely happy to be coming to work and backs the theatre 100%. Having employees like this behind you can make your business a success.

Because there are so many qualities that make a good manager I think it is important to continually develop your skills. You need to be willing to learn from you mistakes and always improve yourself.

What are your thoughts, opinions, ideas on these questions? Post them here or join the discussion on Facebook.