Leadership vs. Management

I recently had a comment about my first post (thank you Steven) and I thought I would use the ultimate time management tool - re-use. Below is my first post. My thoughts on Leadership vs Mangement remain the same as when I wrote this 18 months ago. Interestingly, I still struggle with building systems that can support my volume. I have added in italics comments from today:

Why did I call this Blog Time Leadership and not Time Management?

Leadership is about doing the right things, Management is about doing things right. Recently I found it was one of my favourite leadership thought leaders - Peter Drucker who first said this.

Leadership is about having the map and going the right direction (goals). Management is about going there efficiently.

Leadership is about effectiveness. Management is about efficiency.

Leadership comes before Management.

In the 1990s I published an audio tape series on Time Management. And I have republished an updated version as a CD and also an eBook. Since then, I have come to realize that being efficent has its limits and that working on the right things yeilds more results than straight efficiency.

Of course because my interest in time management and efficiency, many of my postings will also be efficiency tips.

My new job as CEO of SYNNEX Canada after 25 years of running my own business (EMJ Data) has caused me to reevaluate my entire set of systems. EMJ was a business with about 300 employees with sales about $350,000,000. SYNNEX Canada is roughly double that number of staff and triple the sales.

Because I had done EMJ for so many years, I had developed systems to handle volume. These systems were starting to break down at SYNNEX because the volume increased. I found that much of my time was spent traveling and addressing CYA issues. Everyone at SYNNEX was concerned because there was a new boss (me) and the EMJ people were concerned because SYNNEX had bought EMJ. 2-3 weeks could pass and I could see little meaningful progress. Recognizing this made me realize I needed to work on the right things - rather than just work. One of my greatest strengths is high energy and high work ethic, long hours etc. This can only get me so far if I do not work on the right things.

This blog will be where I share my journey. I will also share a number of my tips and tricks.