Leadership or Management (Lion or Lamb)?

Bruce MacEwan, in his blog, Adam Smith, Esq., posted a fascinating question yesterday: Is Leadership Management?

It’s worth your time to read both Bruce’s commentary and access the Harvard Business School article he references: Great Managers Understand Their People

Food for thought: In most law firms today, the Managing Partner does not have the authority to lead. The expectation tends to be that the Managing Partner will manage. Most partnerships don’t want to be led – at least, they don’t think they do – and they don’t trust anybody enough to allow them to try. (Many Managing Partners are selected because they are safe choices – they will not rock the boat.) Leaders emerge, I contend, by having the courage to lead notwithstanding the incomplete support and authority… great Managing Partner/Leaders pleasantly surprise their partners who don’t argue about tremendous results. Managing Partners joke about being the fire hydrant in a pack of dogs – that’s not going to change anytime soon – so, Managing Partners, it’s the lion of lamb dilemma – I hope you go for it!