Are We Overly Focused on Leadership?

In our endless pursuit of visionary leaders, we've neglected a critical truth: we need managers who can actually manage well. 

Good management isn't glamorous, but it's essential. Effective managers organise teams with precision, prioritise competing demands, delegate appropriately, and maintain situational awareness across projects and people. 

Much of my client work is focused on leadership development. It’s a no brainer – organisations need great leaders. Recently I was tasked by a client with developing and delivering a management training programme. It reminded me that while leadership inspires us toward lofty visions, management turns those visions into reality. The best organisations need both, so maybe we should spend less time romanticising leadership and more time appreciating and developing strong management capabilities.