In most businesses there are two types of bosses (maybe more):
Some are managerial
Managers think strategically, they work out exactly where they want to go and then create plans to get them there, as effectively as possible. They plan, organise and execute.
Managers…
- Have big plans
- Search out resources
- Exploit and optimise
- Work out the expected return
- Avoid failure
- Reward success
- Worry about what is
- Manage their superiors
Managers are rational
If you can predict the future you can control it
Others are entrepreneurial
Entrepreneurs think tactically, they know roughly which direction they want to go and then take every opportunity they see that steers them in that general direction. They scan, try and do.
Entrepreneurs…
- Carry out small actions
- Use what they have
- Experiment and explore
- Know exactly how much they can afford to lose
- Learn from failure
- Reward action
- Worry about what could be
- Defy their superiors
Entrepreneurs are just plain odd
If you can create the future you don’t need to control it
These people don’t really see eye to eye
The managerial see themselves as strategic thinkers and dismiss entrepreneurs as just tactical. Whilst the entrepreneurial think the managers are… well… just plain dull.
Of course neither line of thought has a moratorium on being right. Maybe they would work well together.
What type of boss are you?
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James,
I like your classifications… but what if they weren’t mutually exclusive? What if we could have a two-for-one? What if someone had the characteristics of both? Is that possible?
Annette :-)
I’m sure it is Annette, but I do love a good stereotype. I should be writing for the tabloids
James
Hi James,
I’m not sure that I agree with your definition of entrepreneurs being tactical and not strategic. Consider some of the great business builders of recent years: Dyson, Branson, Bezos etc etc. I’m pretty sure if you asked each of them they wouldn’t describe themselves as tactical but would describe themselves as strategic given they set out to change the status quo.
Adrian
A very good point Adrian,I think my point is about approach and the willingness to try things out, which is often lacking in large organisations.
Aha! The willingness to take risks and try new things. A rare commodity indeed.
Hello James,
When I was younger I was firmly in the managerial camp. Later, my eyes were opened (due to working in smaller companies where creative activity was the business of the business) and fell into the entrepreneurial camp. Nowadays, I like to think that I an in a position to fuse both worlds: strategy and experimentation/tinkering. Or strategic tinkering/experimentation.
Clearly, being a human-being means that vanity is the ground of my existence. So it is quite likely that I am kidding myself. And am actually incompetent at both.
At your service | with my love
maz