Managers versus Leaders
Good managers are leaders. Great leaders are innovators. When people are empowered to be innovative, their commitment increases; they have a chance to take new actions and be proud of their accomplishments.
Are you an innovator? Are you really committed to overcoming deeply rooted tasting room traditions and misconceptions regarding selling and customer acquisition? Are you prepared to go to the mat to support best practices around lifetime value? Think about it.
Here’s a quick self assessment:
| Do you… | ||
| Administer? | or | Innovate? |
| Accept the status quo? | or | Challenge the status quo? |
| Imitate? | or | Originate? |
| Maintain? | or | Develop? |
| Focus on systems and structure? | or | Focus on people? |
| Rely on control? | or | Inspire trust? |
| Accept reality? | or | Investigate reality? |
| Have a short-range view? | or | Have a long–range perspective? |
| Ask how and when? | or | Ask what and why? |
| Have your eye on the bottom line? | or | Have your eye on the horizon? |
| Do things right? | or | Do the right thing? |
Managers do the former. Innovators embrace the latter.
There are times when you need to focus on systems and structure, or the short-range view, or the bottom line, but you want the scales to tip toward real leadership…And that’s not easy.
It may be a whole new way of looking at staffing or your team’s organizational structure, or a radical new idea for a guest experience, but challenge yourself to be a true leader. In being a leader you can make profound changes and not only be inspired but also inspire those around you.
