Leadership vs. Management
Law Enforcement Leadership: More than Management
Robert Thetford, ICJE, Inc.
Adapted from First Line Supervision by Robert Thetford and Louis Harris, ICJE Press, Montgomery, Alabama.
Is there really a difference between leadership and management, or is this just a question of semantics? People in private industry and government often interchange the two as having the same essence, when in fact they have dramatically different definitions. In general, an employee is thought to work for a manager and with a leader. A manager tends to think of employees in terms of costs and benefits or a means to the end of getting the job done. The leader, however, tends to think of employees as a valuable resource base upon which the leader can draw support. As Peter Drucker puts it, a manager thinks in terms of doing things right while a leader thinks in terms of doing the right things.(1)
In his book, The Unheavenly City, (2) Edward Banfield described the world as being divided into two classes of persons: the upper class and the lower class. Banfield believed that the major difference between the two is shown in their vision of the future and how they act upon this vision. Upper class people tend to think in future terms and are willing to forego present gratification for future gain. On the other hand, lower class people, having no ability to think or act in future terms, are more likely to seek instant gratification on a daily basis and to deny themselves nothing despite an inability to pay for the object of their desire. According to Banfield, the class to which one belongs depends not upon race, sex or national origin. It also does not depend upon wealth or material accumulation; therefore, an individual of meager means and little material accumulation with a future vision may be considered upper class, while an individual of considerable material wealth who lacks a future vision would be considered lower class.
Because of their future vision, leader/supervisors would invariably be numbered in the ranks of the upper class. They are characterized by not being afraid to try new approaches and often encourage innovation even with the understanding that failure will inevitably accompany many attempts to innovate. Failing at particular projects is not, however, the same as failing as an organization. The best law enforcement organizations are not afraid to innovate and adapt to changing conditions. They constantly seek to serve their communities in new ways and with changing methods.
In applying the vision a leader quickly understands that his or her power to produce depends not upon force or threats but upon influence. The leader may possess organizational power (the power to reward or punish) which accompanies the leadership position, but this power alone is generally not considered sufficient for maximum production. A supervisor may only expect sustained maximum performance from employees when the supervisor's organizational power is accompanied by power derived from personal leadership traits, and these traits must be earned on a continuing basis by the aspiring leader.
Leadership Traits
The first trait of a true leader is a willingness to serve and support the employees. This is certainly not a new innovation but was outlined by Jesus in Matthew Chapter 20, Verse 27: “And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant.” This is the opposite of arrogance, which often manifests itself in the attitude of, "my way or the highway."
A second leadership trait involves giving credit to one's employees rather than taking credit for any job well done. This acknowledges the major contributions by the team members and has the added benefit of building loyalty rapidly. The flip side to this leadership trait involves taking personal responsibility for any failures instead of assigning blame to the employees individually or as a group.
The ability to listen and discern are rare but learnable traits which should be employed by every leader. Many managers listen only to what they want to hear and filter out much of what is actually being said to them. A true leader not only listens but listens well. The discerning supervisor understands the difference between positions (what a person says) and interests (what a person really means) and acts accordingly. A leader listens to problems with the perspective of encouraging employees not only to present problems but also to propose solutions. Listening skills are so important that entire training courses have been designed to develop these skills.
A fourth basic leadership trait involves the use of humor, especially the ability of a supervisor to laugh at himself/herself. Those who are unable to do so demonstrate a decided lack of confidence in their own abilities or in their position. The ability and willingness to laugh at one's own expense characterizes a person who is confident in his or her own abilities and who is not afraid to show a vulnerable, human side when the situation calls for it. This implies a corollary aspect of leadership: that of knowing one's strengths and weaknesses and playing to strengths while attempting to eliminate or work around weaknesses.
Every would-be leader should have a mentor or coach and every true leader should mentor or coach those showing potential for leadership. The best organizational structures provide for a mentoring program either on an official basis or unofficial basis. Mentors are distinguished from departmental training officers in that they actually help a person's career changes and decisions over a period of time. Mentors do not always act out of a true sense of altruism because they are aware that at some point in their own careers, there exists the possibility that the person who is being mentored may eventually be in a position to help them. Despite the motive involved, the mentoring system works well in most organizational structures and should be encouraged by policymakers. Many organizations promote mentoring outside of the normal chain of command, reasoning that the best advice for an employee would be given by a person who was not directly involved in the employee's performance appraisal or direct chain of command.
Mentoring, especially within a formal organizational structure, involves training an employee to take the place of a leader. Many supervisors feel extremely threatened by the thought of training someone to take their place and consequently they refuse to do so. While this reluctance is natural and understandable, it often creates a situation in which the supervisor will be ineligible for promotion simply because there is no one available with the skills necessary to replace the supervisor after he or she is promoted into another position.
Other traits include fairness and toughness. Fairness includes the perception that all employees are treated equally according to the situation at hand. Of course, all employees are not equal and therefore have no reasonable expectation of being treated equally in every situation. Employees with differing abilities and experience levels should be treated in accordance with their abilities and experience.
A leader must also be able to make tough decisions when the situation calls for it. To be perceived as weak and indecisive in a situation which calls for action will quickly cause a supervisor to lose both respect and effectiveness. General George S. Patton believed that decisiveness as a leadership quality was absolutely necessary: "We herd sheep, we drive cattle, we lead people. Lead me, follow me, or get out of my way."
Being tough and fair are balanced by having a protective attitude toward those who are supervised. In the 1980s, a newly promoted law enforcement supervisor was advised by his boss to keep the boss informed about any problems encountered, including personnel problems (he was to supervise employees at a remote location). The supervisor answered by saying, "Boss, you will only hear about problems if I can't handle them." This demonstrated confidence in the supervisor's ability to handle both the job and the employees correctly, and also telegraphed to his boss the supervisor's desire to be protective of his employees.
A final character trait shared by true leaders is a strong sense of ethics and duty. Throughout history, people have been drawn to and naturally follow a leader who exhibits high moral character. Leaders who are both competent and ethical inspire trust and loyalty from their subordinates. The trust and loyalty, if reciprocated, frequently result in extraordinary production and accomplishment.
In the final analysis, leadership involves a complex mix of personality traits involving vision, trust, humor, a sense of service, strong ethical grounding and determination. These traits can be learned and applied by leaders from the highest organizational policy maker to the first line supervisor and constitute the critical skills that separate true leaders from managers.
(1) Peter F. Drucker, American Management Guru
Peter F. Drucker, American Management Guru(2) Edward C. Banfield, The Unheavenly City (Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1968), pp. 48-54.
Edward C. Banfield, The Unheavenly City (Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1968), pp. 48-54.