Warren Bennis is one of my favourite leadership thinkers. I first encountered his thinking in a book he co-authored with Burt Nanus, Leaders: The Strategies for Taking Charge (1985). The book was based on in-depth interviews with 90 leaders, 60 from the corporate sector and 30 from the public sector. Bennis and Nanus believe that the distinction between a manager and a leader is crucial. Both are essential, but they are different. A manager brings things about, accomplishes things, and takes responsibility for conduct. A leader influences and guides the opinion of the group, its direction, its course, and its action. Managers are people who do things right, they state, and leaders are people who do the right thing. Managers tend to issues of efficiency, while leaders tend to issues of effectiveness.

As Bennis and Nanus went over the interviews and their notes, they distilled four major themes, four areas of competency, four types of skills in working with humans that were shared by all 90 leaders.

First, leaders of great teams focused the attention of their colleagues by articulating a compelling vision of the results possible. They constantly drew attention to desired outcomes. Their vision arose from attentive listening to the needs of their customers and to the talents of their colleagues. It also challenged team members to offer their best. Their vision animated, inspired, and transformed purpose into action.

Second, leaders of great teams created common meaning through communication. Their careful listening allowed them to discover a powerful image around which they could organize the meaning of what they were attempting to accomplish. They helped their colleagues know why their desired results were important.

Third, leaders of great teams gained the trust of their colleagues. Trust, wrote Bennis and Nanus, is the lubrication that makes it possible for organizations to work. Trust involved accountability, predictability, and reliability. Key is the behaviour of the leader. The actions of trusted leaders embody and model the ideals of the vision.

Fourth, leaders of great teams spend 90 percent of their time dealing with the messiness of people issues. By developing a positive self-regard, by treating others with respect for their positive potential, and by focusing on the capacity of everyone to embrace positive goals, leaders inspire the team to press forward in the achievement of their compelling vision.

Whats your unique blend of managing and leading? Are you paying attention to all four of those basic competencies in human relationships in working with and through others? Your success in leading teams to greatness will be greatly enhanced if you do.

Brian Fraser is the Lead Provocateur of Jazzthink Speaking and Seminars. Find out more about his background and services at http://www.jazzthink.com

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