Managers, Entrepreneurs, Pioneers, and Leaders

 

“The very essence of all power to influence lies in getting the other person to participate.”

Harry A. Overstreet

 

What do you think it takes to be a great leader? 

Stop for a minute and think about it. Maybe even take the time to write down a few things. When finished, you can resume below. 

What is the one thing that is always present with great leaders? 

They influence others.

Whether they are influencing others to make a certain decision, build a widget a certain way, or improve local PCOC districts (as well as the State Association), leaders can be measured by their degree of influence. If you think back to the great politicians, or business leaders, or church leaders in your life, you will notice that all of them had the ability to influence others.

We often confuse leadership with many other things. Managers, entrepreneurs, and pioneers being some of the more common. We’ll look at each of these and briefly discuss the differences.

Managers – It’s important to note that you typically manage systems, but lead people. Managers will often come up with an idea they think will work better, and then try to force everyone to walk down their newly discovered path. Leaders will help others see how something will benefit them, influencing them so that they want to follow their lead. Managers will often create procedural changes while forgetting about the people. Leaders will create positive change, recognizing that the people are what really matter.

Managers typically control actions. Leaders capture hearts.

Entrepreneurs and Pioneers – Recognizing a need and filling that need, as an entrepreneur does, or being the first to do something, as pioneers do, does not necessarily make someone a leader. Entrepreneurs often focus on profit over people, and pioneers often look for people to support them in their endeavor to be first. But leaders find a way to support the people that follow them, creating a kind of symbiotic relationship that encourages and motivates people to WANT to follow them.

Now, it must be stated that managers, entrepreneurs, and pioneers can also be great leaders. It just doesn’t happen automatically. To be a great leader, one must act purposefully and intentionally, recognizing their responsibility to consistently be growing themselves, so they can create an environment that fosters a growth mindset for those they work with, and inspires them to do great things.

As leaders in PCOC, it is beneficial to take a minute and evaluate our own influence on others. Am I being a good leader? Am I creating and fostering a culture that will attract others to develop and grow and want to be a part of the district/organization?

“The true measure of Leadership is Influence. Nothing more, nothing less.”

John Maxwell

If you have Leadership ideas you’d like to share, or a topic you’d like to see explored in a future PCOC Leadership Lens, I’d love to hear from you.

All the best!
Travis Mickel
Regional Manager
Clark Pest Control
(831) 262-8025
tmickel@clarkpest.com