Leadership vs management: why leaders inspire, managers enforce

It gives me a high dose of frustration, and maybe rage, every time I see leadership development is approached as competencies and skillsets. Leadership is bringing alignment to purpose. It's about promoting the values and the mindset that serves individuals and bring them together with their communities and organizations. Skills are just the vehicle to get there. They change with technology and the passing of time from one generation to another. Leadership don't. Leadership development not approached as a full, lengthy, character-building program integrated into the system is just another waste of resources on a 3-day nonsense workshop discussing big names, fancy titles, and Fortune 500 case studies with no true nor deep impact. Leadership is the mindset that transforms values into cultural norms. And thus, it's a learning journey not a training course. Leaders are nurtured, not cooked.

Leadership is not a one-size-fits-all approach. This model captures what effective leaders intuitively know — that people require different styles of leadership depending on their development stage. At the beginning (D1), team members have enthusiasm but limited competence. They need direction — clear structure, guidance, and oversight. As they gain some experience but face setbacks (D2), they require coaching — leaders who are both directive and highly supportive, helping them navigate uncertainty while maintaining motivation. By the time they reach moderate to high competence (D3), the leader’s role shifts to supporting — stepping back from instruction but providing encouragement and recognition. Finally, for fully developed, high-performing individuals (D4), delegation becomes key — trusting them to make decisions and take ownership. The best leaders are those who can adapt fluidly between these styles, recognizing that their effectiveness lies not in control, but in developing others. Leadership is situational — but development is intentional.

𝗠𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴. 𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁? 𝗢𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗹𝘆 𝗹𝗼𝘄. They identify the gaps, the blind spots, the weaknesses — and call it development. “Leaders need to be better communicators,” “better people managers,” “better coaches” — what leaders hear underneath is: 𝘺𝘰𝘶’𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘢𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦. Let's not forget, leaders are people too. They’re navigating pressure, complexity, and self-doubt — just like everyone else. More than anyone else. When development begins from deficiency, you will meet resistance. Deficiency doesn’t drive development — it drives disengagement. You can’t inspire growth through judgment — only through possibility. Leadership development is not fruitful when it’s about fixing what’s wrong. It should be creating excitement to expand who you think you are — and what else might be possible for you. And it can be! When leaders are allowed to grow — rather than improve — the whole organisation develops with them. 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱 𝘥𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘱𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘻𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘪𝘧 𝘪𝘵 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺, 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘥𝘦𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘺?

𝗠𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴. 𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁? 𝗢𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗹𝘆 𝗹𝗼𝘄. They identify the gaps, the blind spots, the weaknesses — and call it development. “Leaders need to be better communicators,” “better people managers,” “better coaches” — what leaders hear underneath is: 𝘺𝘰𝘶’𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘢𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦. Let's not forget, leaders are people too. They’re navigating pressure, complexity, and self-doubt — just like everyone else. More than anyone else. When development begins from deficiency, you will meet resistance. Deficiency doesn’t drive development — it drives disengagement. You can’t inspire growth through judgment — only through possibility. Leadership development is not fruitful when it’s about fixing what’s wrong. It should be creating excitement to expand who you think you are — and what else might be possible for you. And it can be! When leaders are allowed to grow — rather than improve — the whole organisation develops with them. 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱 𝘥𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘱𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘻𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘪𝘧 𝘪𝘵 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺, 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘥𝘦𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘺?

Did you know great leaders don’t just manage people. They train them to grow beyond their own limits. One of the most important aspects of leadership is training. Leadership isn’t about titles, authority, or control. It’s about helping others get better. The best leaders invest time to teach, mentor, and empower their teams so they can perform even when the leader isn’t in the room. When leaders make training a priority, amazing things happen: ✅ People grow more confident in what they do ✅ Teams start taking ownership instead of waiting for direction ✅ A strong culture of learning takes root ✅ Future leaders are born At the end of the day, your real impact as a leader isn’t measured by how much you can do, but by how much better your team becomes because of you. To Employees: When your leader takes time to train and mentor you, do you grab the opportunity to grow, or do you see it as just another routine task? 👇 I’d love to hear your thoughts. What’s one thing a leader once taught you that changed how you work or lead today?

I led a team training today on leadership style and identity. We did some myth busting. The problem is that there's dozens of leadership styles out there in the business school literature. Goal-oriented, transformational, democratic, servant, resilient... Myth #1: that there's a "best" style. Many of the people around the table today assumed that it's "better" to be on the CARE end of the spectrum rather than the COMMAND end. Actually, each and every leadership style on this list has pros and cons, a time and a place. Myth #2: that a person either has it or they don't. No. Just no. Leadership is not a fixed trait. It's not something you are or are not. Leadership, like any skill, is something you can learn. Myth #3: that a person has only one style (or at least a dominant style). I believe that every leader has multiple leadership styles, some more natural than others, some more practiced than others, some developing at a faster rate than others. I think anyone can learn to use and excel at any style if they want to (and it's okay if you don't want to learn every one). Myth #4: that knowing your style makes you a better leader. Actually, what makes you a better leader is knowing how to apply the resources and skills you have to the given situation at hand. That's called *situational leadership*. It's not on this command-care continuum because it uses each and every style as if it were a tool in a leader's toolbox. Read the room. Tailor your approach. Pick the right tool for the circumstances. I've said it before and I'll say it again. There is no one way to be a leader just as there’s no one way to be human. The best leaders use the best in themselves to bring out the best in others.

John Whitfield points to a 2024 journal article claiming that despite billions spent on training, most of it doesn’t stick, especially when it comes to “Leadership Development.” I’ve got a problem with that. The issue isn’t leadership development itself. It’s what most organizations refer to as leadership development. Approximately 98% of the programs out there aren’t focused on leadership at all. They’re about leader development. Important, sure, but according to opinions, not delivering what is expected. Here’s what typically happens: the leader goes off to a course, gets hit with a bunch of short modules, a pile of content, maybe a few role plays. They head back to the office expecting to make it all work. It’s like handing someone a flight manual and saying, “Go fly the plane.” Effective leadership development looks completely different. It’s not a solo activity. It’s a team sport. It involves the leader and their team, working together over time. They delve into what’s really going on. How they communicate, collaborate, and hold each other accountable. The team gives the leader feedback on how their behavior shows up day-to-day. The leader compares that with their own self-view, and together they talk about the gaps. They decide what to do about them. It’s practical. It’s measurable. It builds ownership on both sides. And when done right, it doesn’t just teach leadership - it builds it.

Leading Side-by-Side Most leadership programs keep giving leaders more lessons, more classes, and more coaching - but none of these truly help leaders do their jobs better. Leaders know the theories, the models, the inspirational quotes. Yet when real problems show up, they fall back to old patterns. Not because they are weak, but because the system around them pushes them back into the same habits. The real issue is simple: Leadership today is no longer about one brilliant person. It’s about a group of people learning how to think, decide, and move forward as one. Work today is fast, messy, and connected. No single leader can carry it alone. That’s why the strongest leadership is not found in classrooms: it’s found in the actual work. In short weekly huddles where teams face the truth together. In short logs that remind everyone why decisions were made. In naming problems as a team rather than finding someone to blame. In removing one big obstacle each quarter so everyone can move forward. In asking, “What did the system teach us?” instead of, “Who failed?” This is the shift: Leadership isn’t a solo talent. It’s a team sport. And teams only grow stronger by practicing leadership together, every day, in real situations - side by side. “Two are better than one… for if they fall, one will lift up the other.” — Ecclesiastes 4:9–10

3 Things I’ve Learned (Sometimes the Hard Way) as a Leader After years of mistakes, tough conversations, and working with incredible people, I’ve been left with three simple but essential lessons: 1. People don’t leave companies — they leave leaders. I’ve lost great colleagues because I didn’t listen early enough. Sometimes, asking “Are you okay?” at the right moment matters more than a salary raise. 2. Honest communication is the best management tool. Silence creates tension, not peace. A direct conversation, delivered with empathy, can change everything. 3. Leading by example beats any motivational speech. If you don’t follow the same rules you expect from others, no leadership training will save you. People don’t follow titles — they follow behaviors. They follow leaders. I’ve learned these lessons the hard way. What mistake or important lesson have you experienced in your leadership journey?

3 Things I’ve Learned (Sometimes the Hard Way) as a Leader. After years of mistakes, tough conversations, and working with incredible people, I’ve been left with three simple but essential lessons: 1. People don’t leave companies — they leave leaders. I’ve lost great colleagues because I didn’t listen early enough. Sometimes, asking “Are you okay?” at the right moment matters more than a salary raise. 2. Honest communication is the best management tool. Silence creates tension, not peace. A direct conversation, delivered with empathy, can change everything. 3. Leading by example beats any motivational speech. If you don’t follow the same rules you expect from others, no leadership training will save you. People don’t follow titles — they follow behaviors. They follow leaders. I’ve learned these lessons the hard way. What mistake or important lesson have you experienced in your leadership journey?