Leadership versus Management Quiz

Simon, over at dba.simonheap.com, has posted this management versus leadership quiz and he would like you all to go over there and take it. He is going to post the "right" answers next week (like there ever is a RIGHT answer in business!). It will be interesting to see what he says the right answers are!

Here's my response to his quiz (direct from the comment I left on his blog). You will note I was a bit sassy with Simon, because I am not a fan of the management-versus-leadership- put-one-in-one-box-put-the-other-in- another-box conversations. (I have a similar distaste for the women's management skills versus general management skills movement - I think it is not helpful to separate business courses or skills by gender, it only makes the chasm bigger) Any, I digress, here's the response.

Simon: I have "played" below, but let me register a protest. I think this whole what is leadership/what is management argument is not very productive. I wrote a bit about my thoughts on this on this post:

I think leadership is more about HOW we do things and management is the daily practice of ensuring a team and company is optimally successful.

I do not believe that certain tasks are leadership and others are management.

I do not beleive that certain jobs are leadership and others are management.

I realize I might be in the minority here. All management jobs require leadership. All leaders need to be excellent managers.

So, with that, here's my list:

When I manage I:

1. Provide structure

2. Use Imagination

3. Develop

4. Ask how and when?

5. Talk strategy

6. Keep an eye on the bottom line

7. Instigate

8. Do things right

9. Ask questions

10. Am a builder

11. Give answers

12. Do the right thing

13. Maintain

14. Provide support

15. Keep an eye on the horizon

16. Administrate.

17. Use common sense

18. Am an architect

19. Talk tactics

20 Ask why?

You can all feel free to pop on over to my blog and tell me you think I'm nuts! :-) www.managementcraft.com

(I wonder how many people DO think I am nuts?.....)