Management plays a pivotal role in successful, busy organisations. As I have argued elsewhere, management forms the very foundations of those organisations. However, misconceptions about management persist, shrouding its significance and effectiveness in myths. In this blog post, we’ll do a little light management myth-busting.
We’re going to debunk three common myths about management, to reveal the truth about the important role management plays.
Myth 1: Management is the Hidden Blocker in the Organisation
Contrary to popular belief, management is not the invisible hurdle obstructing progress within an organisation. Instead, it serves as the backbone and foundation, providing structure and order. It’s thanks to management that leaders have the data on which they base their strategic decision-making. Effective management ensures that tasks are efficiently delegated, resources are best used, delivery is monitored and targets are achieved. Essentially, management is the glue that holds different parts of an organisation together. Management does just that; it manages. This means it handles all the operational challenges facing the organisation. The most effective managers achieve this by fostering collaboration and exploring synergies across the organisation.
By addressing concerns head-on, management in fact acts as a catalyst for problem-solving rather than a hindrance. Successful organisations acknowledge the value of transparent communication and proactive management, dispelling the myth that management is a hidden blocker. It could even be the case that this myth persists most in unsuccessful organisations. Might there be a causal link here?!
Myth 2: Management is “The Clay Layer”
Another myth is that management is where dreams go to die. This is actually really unfair. In reality, management serves as the fertile ground where dreams are nurtured and transformed into actionable plans. A skilled manager facilitates a constant and positive communication exchange, between strategic leadership and operational delivery teams. It is important for management to be able to translate the strategic vision from the leadership. This translation means the strategic vision can be broken down into practical tasks, which helps the vision to actually be delivered.
Importantly, these same managers are also responsible for feeding back from delivery teams. For instance, this feedback can be used to inform future plans, generate more practical innovation, or even persuading the leadership that their plans simply won’t work! This is really important for employee engagement. Delivery teams and their managers feel heard and valued when their feedback is used to inform their organisation’s future direction. Employee-guided organisations have long been held up as the Holy Grail of employment practice. It is very difficult to have an employee-guided organisation without managers.
Rather than stifling creativity, effective management cultivates a culture of continuous improvement and adaptation. On the contrary, it encourages employees to dream big while providing the necessary support and guidance to turn those dreams into reality. In this way, management is not a clay layer but actually an enabler of success.
Myth 3: Management is “Leadership-lite”
I still hear people talk about management as if it’s an inferior stepping stone to the ultimate goal, Leadership. I find this mindboggling in its narrowmindedness. It is in fact a hangover from when “management” meant just monitoring, checking on people and generally watching over every minute detail of front-line operations. As mentioned above, it is wrong to believe that this role was inferior, somehow subordinate to leadership. This kind of view assumes management is merely a watered-down version of true leadership.
On the contrary, effective management involves planning, organising, and coordinating resources to achieve specific strategic goals. It is a massively responsible role. This is the tactical implementation of leaders’ broader strategic vision. Put simply, it’s the sharp end. Without solid management, visionary ideas just don’t happen. You won’t get effective leadership without effective management to deliver the vision.
Recognising the equal value and importance of management and leadership is essential for a successful organization. As should be obvious from what you have read above, I believe firmly that management and leadership are complementary. By working hand in hand, they provide a balance which ensures the vital flow of information, ideas and feedback. It is symbiotic. Leadership inspires and sets the vision, management makes sure that vision becomes reality. Neither can succeed without the other.
This bit of management myth-busting is important, to me but also to any leaders seeking to run a successful organisation. Far from being a hidden blocker or dream-stifling clay layer, management is actually the driving force that turns aspirations into achievements. It is not a diluted version of leadership but a vital partner in a symbiotic pursuit of excellence. Furthermore, any effective leader will be effective partly because they can also manage. There are many managers who will never be senior leaders. There are, however, no senior leaders who are effective who have not been a half-decent manager. Effective leadership thrives on knowledge and skill. Hopefully, this management myth-busting will highlight the value of management after all.
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