According to Doug Driscoll the Chief Executive Officer of the Starr Partners group, management and leadership are two very different things. Doug believes that, “Leadership creates useful change, whereas management produces orderly results that keep something working efficiently. Managers are people who do things right, whereas leaders are people who do the right thing.”
Doug explains, “If you look at the origin of the two words, the word management comes from an old Latin word, manus, which is hands on, whereas the origin of the word leadership, has ancient Anglo Saxon roots, and it essentially means path, route or journey. Leadership really is therefore about direction, movement, progress and change and vision whereas management is about the day to day operations, budgeting, the application of rules and procedures and so on.”
People want to be engaged
So, does Doug think that it is possible to be the leader/manager at the same time? He says, “The two can work in tandem, but you have to understand the difference in the two.”
Managers need high degrees of emotional intelligence and patience.
Real estate is a tough gig. To be successful requires excellence in skill sets that can be diametrically apart – the driven sales guru is not necessarily the most attentive interpersonal sage. Doug says, the prospect of high returns sometimes obscures the reality of being in a business that is all about people and emotions. He says, “Too many people get into business too quickly for the wrong reasons. They think that there is a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. There can be, but you have to work hard, be determined, graft, and know how to get the best out of people. And that is what management is, extrapolating the very best of the people around you.”
Managers need high degrees of emotional intelligence and patience. Doug says, “There’s an old saying “If you want the rainbow you’ve got to put up with the rain.” When you’re in business you are always employing people, so you have to develop, whether you like it or not, good humanistic skills. You have to put aside time and you have to exercise tolerance and patience with people. And that’s what you signed up for.”
Doug has observed that top sales agents can find the transition to manager a challenge. He says, “It’s very, very difficult to make a holistic change from who you are. It’s almost become integrated into who you are; it’s almost your DNA. So, going from a successful gun salesperson to a super-duper manager or leader can be very difficult.”
Managers are people who do things right, wheras leaders are people who do the right thing.
Doug has identified the features of a good leader and a good manager. Doug Driscoll is appearing on Real Estate Academy's 12 disc Leadership Audio News. Order today call 1300 367 412.
Doug believes that good businesses are founded on sound managers. He says, “Management is about really being there on the tools, you know, doing what really counts, what matters.”
A good manager needs...