The link to this question addresses some good differences between leaders and managers. I think it's clear why we need leaders but why do we need managers? Managers tend to get the brunt of many company jokes (aka Dilbert) but this layer of corporate labor continues to thrive. Why and more importantly, what are good measurements of effective management? I think there are as many answers to this question as there are people trying to answer it.
Let me take a shot at it from a layman's perspective.
Managers add value to the company when, as a result of their management actions, make their team more efficient through one of three ways:
1. Productivity (through training, coaching, administrative coverage)
2. Motivation/Coaching (getting more from each individual)
3. Influence (removing obstacles that are preventing your team from achieving its goals)
Seems simple enough. Managers are put in place to help their teams realize their full potential. Unfortunately, egos and power-plays distract a high percentage of people from these targets. When a company is grooming a new supervisor or coach, they need to make sure the person has the emotional intelligence required to stay focused on the three targets mentioned above. One misplaced supervisor/coach can weaken the entire team.
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