IN THE KNOW —
Leadership and management: What’s the difference between the two and why should you care? Imagine if you’ve only ever experienced and driven brand new flashy sports cars with leather seats. That’s what your parents had, and you’ve continued the tradition. It would be a bit of a shock to suddenly catch a ride with a mate who’s got a beaten up old ute, as it’s so different to what you’re used to. It’s easy to get used to the best of the best
Poor leadership has become a cycle in New Zealand: hardly anyone’s worked with an excellent leader, they’ve only had bad examples that they end up copying, but thought that was the way to do it. And this cycle repeats over and over.
That was certainly my experience. I spent over two decades overseas working with the best global leaders, in high-performing corporations. Working shoulder to shoulder with the senior leaders at Amazon, BP, 3M, FedEx, Coca Cola, and many more.
Sure, the new manager might be a better version than the previous manager – you certainly can’t get away with treating people like you used to be able to – but they’re executing management strategies, and not planning any leadership strategies.
It’s a bit of a shock being back in New Zealand: In the 19 years I’ve been back, I’ve only met a few good leaders in that time, and, though I haven’t met Rob Fyfe, he seems pretty decent.
What does good leadership look like then?
So what’s the problem with leadership in New Zealand?
A good leader’s really curious about the people in their business, and does what they can to grow them, and engage with them to develop a vision of the future together. And at the same time, developing the people under them, so if anyone ends up leaving, there’s someone ready to take over. But that kind of planning is just a foreign concept in New Zealand.
Kiwis think that because they’re employing half a dozen people and are turning over a couple of million dollars, they’re a leader, but that’s not the case at all. All your staff could hate you, but you’re paying just enough for them to hang around. You don’t really have a direction for the business, and you’re communicating the bare minimum in your business to keep it operational.
A leader is focused on the future, while managers concentrate on the present challenges. Leaders think ahead strategically, and they’re great at communicating with their team in a way that motivates and inspires them. This creates a real sense of purpose in the team. The really great thing about leadership is that it can be taught. Sure, you get some natural leaders, but there’s nothing stopping anyone from being a great leader with a bit of training and direction.
Why is leadership important in the construction industry? People are the number one key asset in a construction business – and if your people are motivated and excited to work for you for the next five years, you’ve got a huge advantage over everyone else.
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