What is the difference between leadership and management? In this blog, I intend to make this question much more personal. I encourage you to understand that what goes on in-between your ears has a direct correlation to your job satisfaction and productivity as a leader.

Big picture: Leadership is all about people. Management is all about things. Stephen Covey said it best: “Management is efficiency in climbing the ladder of success; leadership determines whether the ladder is leaning against the right wall.”

As a leader, I challenge you to ask yourself the following questions:

1. Are you leaning against the right wall?
2. Are you working ON the business or IN the business?
3. Do you ever muse that you would execute more on what was better suited to your strengths?

You probably are aware of Gallup’s StrengthsFinder profile. It is a great concept. It helps you identify the intersection between ‘doing what you love’ and ‘doing what you are best at’—this is where your finest work takes place.

Are you doing the work that you love and that you are good at?

You have strengths. When they are leveraged you will be in a position where you will find that your work is truly making a difference; where it is fulfilling to the marketplace and to yourself. When you don’t utilize your strengths, you will find yourself to be less passionate about the work you do.

Here are 3 key steps to transition into doing the work that you love and what you are good at:

1. Do an audit of your current workflow. Identify what you love and what you are good at, and the things that aren’t enjoyable or aren’t your strengths. This will help you understand how prevalent your strengths are in your daily workflow.
2. Identify your IDEAL workflow. Start by beginning with the end in mind. What does it look like? Who is it with? When you create what your “ideal” workflow looks like, you can begin to create your path to find it.
3. Spend intentional time getting there. Articulate and develop the business strategies in the company the support YOUR strengths. It is OK to be a little bit selfish here.

To do this effectively, you need to be introspective and disciplined in this practice. When you do this, you will have found the intersection between ‘doing what you love’ and ‘doing what you are best at’.

Do you need help uncovering the work better suited to your skills? Email me: len@theleadershipquest.com