Henry Mintzberg wrote an interesting Business Week column about Leadership versus Management and it’s relationship with the financial crisis. He argues that the separation of Leadership (do the right things) and Management (do the things right) might sound feasible, but has shown to cause trouble. Too many leaders have become detached from the crucial aspect of good management practices in their organizations. We are overled and undermanaged is Mintzberg’s conclusion. So it is back to good management in the first place. This is the fundament that has built most successful organizations anyway. In it’s new form Mintzberg calls this ‘Engaged Leadership’ (both leading + managing). Something he finds Barack Obama a striking example of. Instead of distinguishing leaders from managers, Mintzberg states that we should encourage all managers to be leaders. And, we should define “leadership” as management practiced well. This is an interesting new emphasis for business schools and leadership development programs. Besides charisma and communicating strategic vision, leadership is back to being just hard and decent management work again! It is time for what the Romans called gravitas.

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