Years ago, I tried to top everybody, but I don't anymore. I realized it was killing conversation. When you're always trying for a topper you aren't really listening. It ruins communication. Groucho Marx

You manage things; you lead people. Rear Admiral Grace Murray Hopper

The manager knows the price of everything, and the value of nothing. Oscar Wilde

As you already know, Groucho is one of my favorite philosophers. As I thought about writing on the difference between managers and leaders, I wanted to see what Groucho had to say about it. Well, while he didn’t hit on it directly, I think he did a pretty good job of hitting the nail on the head with one of the attributes of archetypical managers: always trying “for a topper”; especially over subordinates and co-workers.

Now, please keep in mind that managers are a necessity in an organization, but when they only “manage” and do it in the way of the archetypical managers who are, “safe, conservative, predictable, conforming organization men and team players, dedicated to the establishment.” (Nibley, 1994); the culture will stagnate, workers will become unhappy, and mediocrity will become the norm.

I also enjoy the quote above by Admiral Hopper. She has said that no one has ever managed anyone into battle. She also said the following (Hopper):

    
• Humans are allergic to change. They love to say, "We've always done it this way." I try to fight that. That's why I have a clock on my wall that runs counter-clockwise. Unsourced variant: The most dangerous phrase in the language is, "We've always done it this way."
    
• We're flooding people with information. We need to feed it through a processor. A human must turn information into intelligence or knowledge. We've tended to forget that no computer will ever ask a new question.
    
• You manage things, you lead people. We went overboard on management and forgot about leadership. It might help if we ran the MBAs out of Washington.

One of my favorite writers, educators, and scholars is Dr. Hugh Nibley. In 1983, Dr Nibley gave an address at commencement at Brigham Young University. He pointed out a number of differences between leaders and managers and pointed out the dangers of relying upon a management culture.

Here a few differences that he pointed out:

    
• Leaders: Has a passion for equality. He pointed out that David & Alexander shared food with their men and marched alongside them into battle.
    
• Managers: Equality is counter-productive. Where promotion, perks, privilege, and power are the name of the game, awe and reverence for rank is everything. Rank is the great motivator.
    
• Leadership: Escape from mediocrity. True leaders are inspired, caught up in a higher purpose. They are idealistic and incorruptible.
    
• Management: What’s good for me is good for you. “If you know what’s good for me, you will do as I tell you and not make waves.” I once had my manager, a VP, tell me that, “You never want to make your boss look bad!”
    
• Leaders: Develop subordinates by example and teaching.
    
• Managers: Do not promote anyone whose competence might threaten their own position; so, as the power of management spreads, quality deteriorates.

One of my favorite quotes on management comes from the movie Blazing Saddles. When the “Gov” finds out that there are problems in Rock Ridge that may come back to haunt him, he says the “Pledge of the Manager”: “Quick gentlemen, we have to protect our phony-baloney jobs”!

If you are a leader, then you will get the message of this blog. But, don’t get too carried away and fire all managers. There is a place and a necessity for managers. The problem only occurs when “management” is the only goal of the corporate culture.

Certainly, a manager may be a leader and a leader must, more often than not, be a manager. In an organization, the leader focuses on change. The larger or more transformative the change, the more leadership and management are needed. 

But, once change is decided upon, it becomes the managers’ responsibility to implement them and see that their position of authority is used to drive the change and help subordinates to accept, adjust to, and implement the change in their area of responsibility.

In summary: leaders drive change; managers are responsible for keeping the status quo or managing the change. But, a true leader-manager will fulfill his or her responsibility in a way that is outward focused rather than self-serving.

On another note, dentistry is an inventory-intense profession. If you aren’t managing your inventory, you are ignoring a very important metric. If you’re spending more than 6% of your gross in supplies, you’re spending too much. Managing your inventory can also make you more productive and profitable by eliminating many of the time-wasting “hidden costs” that may be associated with managing your supplies.

If you’re interested in effectively managing supply costs, give us a vistit at https://www.ghmouse.com/

Thank you!