Guest blog by Michelle Greiner,Client Services Specialist at Bild & Company

Recently, I have been working with several organizations coaching on core concepts of leadership. The span of my coaching has ranged from executive directors, administrators, regionals and even top level management such as CEOs and COOs. Time after time, I find myself coming back to the defining difference between management and leadership.

Management (a given right based on title and position) is the lowest level of leadership available to us. Only when time is taken to work “on the business not always in the business” (as Traci Bild would say), can you truly begin to define the steps necessary to expand your influence and gain the ability to be a leader. As John C. Maxwell said, “Leadership is at its lowest level when it is based on position only…You must be given permission to lead beyond the limits of your job description.” It leads me to wonder why I still find people are stamping their feet when the team they are supervising doesn’t produce the results they are looking for instead of identifying what needs to be done to motivate, encourage, nurture and grow their team to produce consistent successful results.

People don’t fail because they want to. It’s not in our human nature! Then why do people fail? For the following three reasons:

1) You were unrealistic in your expectations or not specific enough in what you expected

2) You never had commitment or buy in the first place

3) They don’t see value in prioritizing what you were expecting or have poor productivity practices

For example, if you are a regional director who oversees several properties, it is expected of your position to have laid clear sales benchmarks. However, are your sales counselors simply meeting those expectations or are they motivated to exceed their expectations? This concept makes all the difference in the world as to whether you manage properties that are satisfied with meeting budget or if you are leading communities that are focused on 100% occupancy.

Leadership is a conscious act. It requires vision, delegation, mentoring, coaching and motivating. The true gauge of a great leader is getting others to do what you expect, not because you require it, but because they were motivated to do so.

Food for thought~
Are the benchmarks in your organization clearly defined? Do the sales counselors know how success will be measured above and beyond occupancy growth and are they motivated to exceed your expectations?

Success!
Michelle Greiner, Client Services Specialist
Bild & Company
www.tracibild.com
(320)304-0988
[email protected]

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