BUSINESS COMMENT
14 • January 2021
Coast River Business Journal
Leadership vs. management
What is your approach?
By Kevin Leahy
Executive Director
Clatsop Economic Development Resources
When we look at successful businesses, both
locally and beyond, a common trait many of them
share is strong leadership at the top. What are
some qualities that set a leader apart from being
a manager?
Some leadership qualities are to be the follow-
ing: Courageous, big thinker, change master, eth-
ical, persistent yet realistic, risk taker, positive
and hopeful, morally strong, decision maker and
committed.
It is also important to accept and
use power wisely, and to have a sense
of humor.
How would you rate
yourself on these
attributes of what a
successful leader is?
‘PRACTICE THE LEADERSHIP
QUALITIES APPROACH, AND
YOU WILL SEE YOUR BUSI-
NESS NOT ONLY STABILIZE BUT
GROW FOR THE LONG TERM.’
A successful leader is someone who com-
municates well, surrounds themselves with like-
minded people, forms one-on-one relationships,
is a good listener, refuses to let others dictate how
MEET A TEAM
THAT IS AS COMMITTED
TO YOUR BUSINESS
SUCCESS AS YOU ARE.
THE CLATSOP SBDC IS HERE TO HELP YOU
NAVIGATE SMALL BUSINESS OWNERSHIP.
Free & confidential professional business advice
(in-person or remote)
Affordable education to get the skills and
knowledge you need to manage
your business
HELP IS JUST A CALL
OR CLICK AWAY.
—
503-338-2402
oregonsbdc.org/clatsop
sbdc@clatsopcc.edu
Clatsop Community College is an affirmative action, equal opportunity institution. ADA accessible. For the complete Non-Discrimination and Accommodations statements, please visit https://www.
clatsopcc.edu/ada. Clatsop Community College es una institución de igualdad de oportunidades y de discriminación positiva. Para las declaraciones completas de No-discriminacion y de Ayuda a las
personas discapacitadas, por favor visite https://www.clatsopcc.edu/ada.
they should do things, is able to identify one’s own
strengths and weaknesses, displays a high level of
optimism and confi dence, acknowledges the need
to or for change, is patient, and one of the most
important traits in my opinion is being passionate
about what they do.
The diffi cult thing here is to truly look in the
mirror on these ten attributes, and not just say “of
course I do,” but really drill down to get a reality
check of perception versus reality. A true self-anal-
ysis is important here, and should also include fam-
ily, friends or peers that can be totally candid in
giving feedback, both positive and negative, to the
individual. Leave the ego at the door! And set a
realistic game plan to target and address both the
strongest and most challenging attributes, while
working on the middle on a day-in and day-out
basis.
Here are examples of multiple leadership
messages to learn from:
• Leaders have a clear point of view
• Leaders are agents for organizational change
• Leaders are people who, lacking authority or
if their authority is taken away, still achieve results
• Leaders continually grow through study and
introspection
• Leaders focus on how to best use their time
and expertise and the time and expertise of others
• Leaders spend 60 to 80% of their day focusing
on the top 4 to 8 items in their work
• Leaders not only do things right, they do the
right things right
• Leaders use strategic anticipation: they expect
the best but plan for the worst
• Leaders achieve excellence by investing time
and energy if it makes the product, service or out-
come noticeably better for their customers
• Leaders dare to be different, ask the right
questions, search for the right answers and are will-
ing to make mistakes
• Leaders realize that the less you know about a
situation, the easier it is to make the wrong decision
• Leaders follow the adage “if it isn’t broken,
make it better”
• Leaders create a sense of urgency and contin-
ually ask “what’s next?”
• Leaders constantly ask themselves and others
what has been done to add value to the organization
• Leaders make the system conform to the peo-
ple, not the reverse
• Leaders realize that performance is achieved
Kevin Leahy
through coaching, training and practice
• Leaders know that when values are clear, deci-
sion making is easy
And fi nally
• Leaders create leaders
In this COVID-19 time and the current divisive
national climate, I would like us to refl ect on lead-
ership rules that are as timely today as when they
were written several years ago. Colin Powell has
written thirteen rules of leadership that he has used
in his extensive military service and career that is
inspiring, yet practical:
• It ain’t as bad as you think. It will look better
in the morning
• Get mad and then get over it!
• Avoid having your ego so close to your posi-
tion that when your position falls, your ego goes
with it
• It can be done
• Be careful whom you choose
• Don’t let adverse facts stand in the way of a
good decision
• You can’t make someone else’s decision. You
shouldn’t allow someone else to make yours
• Check the small things
• Share credit
• Remain calm. Be kind
• Have a vision. Be demanding
• Don’t take counsel of your fears or naysayers
• Perpetual optimism
We have started a new year that is full of hope
and anticipation of getting life back to “normal”
over the next year as COVID-19 vaccinations are
administered.
Meanwhile, people must continue to maintain
the necessary directives we have been living with
and hopefully practicing over the past year related
to keeping ourselves and our community healthy
and safe.
With a fresh start in 2021, practice the leader-
ship qualities approach, and you will see your busi-
ness not only stabilize but grow for the long term.