Some time ago, I remember going to a kickoff meeting for a very high profile project that required different departments in the company to cooperate and work together. Each department had their own agenda and wanted to steer the project towards a direction that benefit them the most, and there were a lot of banter by everyone for the sake of positioning themselves favorably.
At first, the project manager allowed everyone to speak their mind, but after seeing how the direction was not productive, she stepped in and took control of the meeting. It was impressive how she knew how to manage people and to put them in their place. The next set of meetings unraveled in a similar way: individuals trying to push their specific agendas while the project manager steered the meeting in the best overall direction of the project.
At one point, a vice president came in to a meeting to participate and see how the progress was coming along. I forgot the official title of this VP, but basically he was responsible for some of the biggest contracts the company ever sold. He was one of the highest ranking people in the company, but he never told people what to do. He had a certain charisma that inspired people and motivated people to perform. In this meeting, he basically told everyone how important the project was to the company and how it can take the company to another level. He also shared how if the project failed, that the company could be in a very vulnerable position and may not survive. He ended his talk with a positive note by pointing out how each of the departments were in a good position to make the project a success. Everybody was fired up and motivated, and there were no more political maneuvering in the meetings afterward.
Sometimes a situation calls for a manager, and sometimes it calls for a leader. There’s some level of both qualities in all of us, and it’s important to cultivate both within ourselves and to use the role that best suits the need at hand. The project manager in my story was great in managing people, but was not necessarily a good leader. I don’t know for a certain, but I do believe she was the person who asked the VP to help motivate the team. If either the management quality or the leadership quality is not sufficient within us, outsourcing it is always an option.
译文:
管理与领导员工的差别
不久前，我记得我要开展一场要求公司各个部门都参与并协作的，一个备受瞩目项目的会议。每个部门都有自己的议程，都想将整个项目推向对自己有利的方向，每个为了将自己推向最有利位置的人都会开些善意的玩笑。
一开始，项目经理让每个人都说出自己的想法，但是在发现整个走势不是那么有利时，她便及时插入，控制住了整个会议。这个令我印象深刻，她是如何知道应该怎样管理人们，以及让他们摆正位置。会议接下去的走势以相似的方式进展：尽管项目经理将会议的大方向调整到了最佳状态，但是每个人还是尝试阐述自己具体的议程。
在某一刻，一名副主席过来参加会议，看看进展如何。我忘了这名副主席头衔是什么了，但是最起码他负责这家公司曾做成的几笔最大的买卖。他是这家公司地位最高的人之一，但是他从不告诉人们要做什么。他有某种超凡的魅力来激发人们，推动人们做出表现。在此次会议中，他主要是告诉每个人该项目对公司有多重要，它能将公司带到另一个阶段。他还说了此次项目如果失败，公司又将陷入何种非常危险的境地，并可能无法生存。他在讲话的最后，谈到了各个部门应该如何各司其职，从而使项目圆满完成。人人都受到了激励，热情高涨，在后来的会议中再也没出现过任何政治偏袒现象。
有时候一种情况需要一个经理，有时候则需要一个领导。我们身上都多多少少有这两种特质，自我培养以及在适当的时刻进入最适合状态的角色都是十分重要的。我这个故事中的项目经理在管理别人这方面很棒，但是并不能称作一个好领导。虽然我并不清楚，但是我相信她一定是那个请副主席来帮忙激发团队的人。如果我们的管理层能力或是领导层能力都不够的话，有时外包也是一种选择。