Leadership Conversations: Challenging High Potential Managers to Become Great Leaders

CHAPTER 2

What Blend of Management and Leadership Mindsets Is Best?

Management is efficiency in climbing the ladder of success. Leadership determines whether the ladder is leaning against the right wall.

—STEPHEN COVEY

Leadership and management mindsets are two sides of the same organizational coin. When you are operating in the management mindset, your conversations focus on quantitative goals, deadlines, and measureable results. Within the leadership mindset, the conversations focus on the future and how people will grow. Combining both mindsets in appropriate ways and at appropriate times will produce top-notch results in your organization.

Figure 2.1 contrasts activities typical of executives operating in a management mindset with those typical ...