Dale Hoeflinger

Don’t Confuse Rank With Leadership

BY DALE HOEFLINGER

Acworth, we are flying through the year! Can you believe it’s September already? This year has been amazing for our community, our business owners and the Acworth Business Association. Everyone is back to work, business is growing, productivity is on the rise, and our numbers are strong. I am proud to say that the ABA is the fastest-growing association in the area, and you all are leading the charge.

This month, I want to talk about leadership. What does it mean to be a leader? Is a manager a leader? We often confuse rank with leadership, but rank has nothing to do with leadership. I know many people holding the highest positions in their organizations who are not leaders. They have authority. We do what they tell us to do because they have authority over us. However, we would not follow them. I also know many people in the lower ranks of an organization who do not have authority, but they have made the choice to look after the person to the left of them and the choice to look after the person to the right of them, and I would trust them and follow them anywhere.

Leadership is the acceptance of the awesome responsibility of creating an environment in which people are encouraged and inspired and can work at their natural best. Read that again. “Wait, I thought that was the manager’s responsibility.” Not necessarily. One responsibility of a manager is to control a group of people in order to accomplish a specific goal in a specific period of time. Leadership, on the other hand, is the ability of an individual to motivate, influence and enable other employees to make a contribution to the success of an organization. Simply put, managers delegate, and leaders strengthen their peers.

Hear me when I say this: I am not dissing managers. I simply am saying know your role. Speak the correct business language needed for the occasion. If you are a great manager, then manage, but hire a leader. If you are a great leader, go forth and inspire your team, but do so under the direction of your manager. Go forth and maximize your momentum, Acworth!

Dale Hoeflinger is a financial adviser with Wells Fargo Advisors and the president of the Acworth Business Association. He grew up in Michigan but is happy to call Acworth home.

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UPCOMING EVENTS

Sept. 8

Alive After 5

5:30-7:30 p.m. Main Street Events by 1885 Grill 4975 N. Main St.

Sept. 13, 27

Morning Jolt

8-9 a.m. The Cowan Historic Mill TEXT BOX4271 Southside Drive

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Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit, sed diam nonummy nibh euismod tincidunt ut laoreet Sept. 22dolore magna aliquam erat volutpat. Ut wisi enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud Women’s Networking Lunch 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Henry’s Louisiana Grill 4835 N. Main St.

Oct. 6

ABA Luncheon

11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Acworth Community Center 4361 Cherokee St.

Join the ABA by visiting www.acworthbusiness.org.