by Matthew J. Geiger

Created on: February 13, 2010

It is simply not enough to be the boss.  If a supervisor or manager is not respected, liked, viewed to be incompetent, and/or unethical, he or she will be undermined as a leader.  Beyond how a superior wields the power the firm affords him or her, the demeanor, tendencies, and other personal attributes of the manager determine how effective that supervisor can be. It is, therefore, the many little things managers do to engage their subordinates and demonstrate all employees are valued that determines whether or not a supervisor is perceived as a leader.

The difference between a fraud and a quality leader is the small the things.  Leaders are leaders, because they as individuals take on the attributes of leaders in their personal and professional demeanor.  Simply giving an individual a leadership role is not enough to turn him or her into a leader.  The defining characteristic of a leader is the ability to recognize an individual’s talents, potential, and contributions to the group then to utilize those talents.  Whether looking at a manager’s ability to effectively communicate with others or to appreciate an employee’s contributions, true leaders rally other together for a common cause.

By focusing on how employees contribute to the operations of a business and guiding subordinates, so they can reach peak performance, leaders support subordinates to motivate them to support others.  While some leaders are kinder than others and still others focus on building teams versus individual performance, successful leaders must provide subordinates with incentives for following them.  Depending on leadership styles, a leader may always project a tough exterior or make it a top priority to connect to others through gestures like reminding everyone they are members of a family, yet all leaders are genuine in their approaches.

Buying a tacky gift, pretending to be interested in what a subordinate has to say, or acting angry all the time are surefire signs of a weak leader.  Stern leaders leave no room for error while more flexible leaders show interest in subordinate opinions, because they understand the value of employees as individuals and members of the group.  No what matter the leadership style, only when these overtures are natural will they be authentic while all employees will know when they are not.  A fake leader is quite obvious to spot due to the small signs.

Leaders are leaders, because they do not have to try to be leaders.  The small stuff is what tells employees if a leader is authentic or a phony.  Certainly, almost anyone can learn to be a leader, especially if he or she is given enough time and adequate training.  It is, however, not possible to teach someone the small things he or she needs to look like a leader.  A person can become a leader or become a stronger leader, yet no one can fake being a leader.  Moreover, the small stuff is a result of leader’s genuine attitude and culture.

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