Hello Rochelle,
You pose a good question. I asked myself that same question over a year ago before I entered graduate school to study "Organizational Leadership." I will share a few of the major tools that I have learned. After you read and consider them, I would appreciate your feedback as how you view my offerings. There being a difference between "leadership and management," leadership is about "doing the right thing," and management is about "doing things right" (Badaracco, 2002). Not a cliche' this is powerful statement. You are spot on when you stated that leaders act as coaches and mentors...the best leaders do assist/teach those they lead. I believe that Socrates was correct in his ideology in his time, yet does not hold true today. For people to learn and accept new tools, leaders and their followers must let go of their "old ways of thinking." Black & Gregersen (2003) call this "breaking through the brain barrier." When others view new approaches, values, goals et al., embracing understanding whereby letting go of what once worked before, may no longer be effective, and that better methods exist they become motivated with forward thinking and new momentum. In this equation, leaders must “sell” their reason (vision) for changing and most importantly, what the change will mean to them (followers). This is the “hook.” Once they believe and accept, they are ready to learn and teach others by feeling empowered. Leadership entails a lot of psychology through an altruistic approach. We first must understand ourselves before we can understand others (Badaracco, 2002). We can “lead that horse to the water, but cannot make them drink” it unless they see the need, feel the desire to reach for whatever the goal is; in this case teach. However, they must know “what” to teach. In 1998, Conger and Kanungo stated that “The leadership field tends to define vision around future-oriented goals that are highly meaningful to followers” (Berson, Avolio, & Popper, 2001, p. 55). According to Nanus (1992) “A vision should inspire enthusiasm and encourage commitment and identification to “the cause” (Berson, et al. 2001, p. 55). Great leaders act somewhat like “movers and shakers” extrinsically, in order to awaken that which is inside those we lead. They then think and feel the intrinsic need. Leaders most certainly teach through coaching and mentoring others, and by role modeling. As parents, we do the same with our children, as we “lead’ them lovingly and with caring to adulthood. I equate motivating others to a religious revival, is a softer, simpler respect of course. I share the information, goals, needs of the organization, motivating and giving them the tools to become more independent and driven to want to achieve their personal, professional and organizational success. I encourage you to read Badaracco and Black & Gregersen’s books. They are both easy reads and very powerful, perhaps the most powerful two books of all that was offered in my earlier courses. I hope this helps you. Good luck to you. I am open for discussion. Sell, sell, sell, “If you build it, they will come.”

Sincerely,

Mary

Badaracco, J., L. (2002). Leading quietly: An unorthodox guide to doing the right thing. Boston: Harvard Business School Press.

Berson, Y., Shamir, B., Avolio, B., & Popper, M. (2001). The relationship between vision strength, leadership style and context. The Leadership Quarterly, 12, 53-73.

Black, J., S. & Gergersen, H., B. (2003). Leading strategic change: Breaking through the brain barrier. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Financial Times Press.

Mary
What a thoughtful response. I supposed I will comment briefly. I really am not concerned with the 'distinction' that academics and some practitioners would like to make between leadership and management. Since I fulfill both these roles I am very comfortable with saying that this distinction seems to be self-serving. To me the terms embody different 'jobs'. I also do not see the 'change' that many today would like to speak about in terms of the evolution of great leaders. I daresay, great leaders have accomplished propelled by similar qualities. When we start talking greatness, we tend to label it positive or negative, make a judgment. Leadership in absence of association with a particular person, is nonjudgemental. Finally, I do not think leaders motivate anyone. Leaders create environrments where' motivation thrives. Leaders cannot dictate emotion, no matter how hard they try. They can create 'place and people' that are divisive or aligned, movitvated or bored, encouraged or deflated, etc.
Anyway...glad to spark your thoughts.

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