What's the Difference Between a Manager and a Leader?

he manager’s job is to plan, organize and coordinate. The leader’s job is to inspire and motivate. In his 1989 book “On Becoming a Leader,” Warren Bennis composed a list of the differences:

– The manager administers; the leader innovates.

– The manager is a copy; the leader is an original.

– The manager maintains; the leader develops.

– The manager focuses on systems and structure; the leader focuses onpeople.

– The manager relies on control; the leader inspires trust.

– The manager has a short-range view; the leader has a long-range perspective.

– The manager asks how and when; the leader asks what and why.

– The manager has his or her eye always on the bottom line; the leader’s eye is on the horizon.

– The manager imitates; the leader originates.

– The manager accepts the status quo; the leader challenges it.

– The manager is the classic good soldier; the leader is his or her own person.

– The manager does things right; the leader does the right thing.

Perhaps there was a time when the calling of the manager and that of the leader could be separated. A foreman in an industrial-era factory probably didn’t have to give much thought to what he was producing or to the people who were producing it. His or her job was to follow orders, organize the work, assign the right people to the necessary tasks, coordinate the results, and ensure the job got done as ordered. The focus was on efficiency.

But in the new economy, where value comes increasingly from the knowledgeof people, and where workers are no longer undifferentiated cogs in an industrial machine, management and leadership are not easily separated. People look to their managers, not just to assign them a task, but to define for them a purpose. And managers must organize workers, not just to maximize efficiency, but to nurture skills, develop talent and inspire results.

The late management guru Peter Drucker was one of the first to recognize thistruth, as he was to recognize so many other management truths. He identified the emergence of the “knowledge worker,” and the profound differences that would cause in the way business was organized.

With the rise of the knowledge worker, “one does not ‘manage’ people,” Mr. Drucker wrote. “The task is to lead people. And the goal is to make productive the specific strengths and knowledge of every individual.”

http://guides.wsj.com/management/developing-a-leadership-style/what-is-the-difference-between-management-and-leadership/

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IBM and 3M Partner To Make a Faster Computer Processor

IBM announced last week that it will be partnering with 3M to develop a new adhesive. And no, not for an electronic Post-It. The two companies are working on a new adhesive that can both dissipate heat and connect to semiconducting chips together. Their goal is to develop an adhesive that would enable IBM to build a processor “tower” comprised of a stack of potentially up to 100 chips.

Such stacking would allow for dramatically higher levels of integration for information technology and consumer electronics applications. Processors could be tightly packed with memory and networking, for example, into a “brick” of silicon that would create a computer chip 1,000 times faster than today’s fastest microprocessor enabling more powerful smartphones, tablets, computers and gaming devices.

This is something that I’ll be interested to see happen. In theory, this type of stacking arrangement should allow for faster processing, but lower overall power use. Getting the chips connected adhesively, though, isn’t nearly as big a technical challenge as dissipating the heat from the chips. With lower power usage, there won’t be as much heat, but it seems like a big challenge.

If it works, though, we just might see a new class of faster processor emerge

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10 ways to utilize work time effectively and boosting productivity

Beware Multitasking

Sounds counter-intuitive, right? Truth is, we’d all be more productive if we checked e-mail only a few times a day rather than incessantly.

Tame Your In-box

Technology is a wonderful servant but a terrible master. If replying to or disposing of an e-mail takes less than two minutes, do so right away. Get rid of that annoying alert flashing on your computer every time a new e-mail comes in. Send less to receive less: Keep your e-mails short, and write fewer of them.

Clear Your Mind

You don’t need to sit in the lotus position and chant, but you should take a few minutes, several times a day, to calm and clear your mind. Walking around the block or just stepping away from your computer screen can help you stay much more mentally fresh and focused.

Eliminate Unnecessary Meetings

Face-to-face communication is essential (email is fraught with misinterpretation), but be ruthless about protecting your time. Eschew every meeting request that isn’t truly necessary.

Learn How To Say “No”

It’s only two letters but it can be the hardest word to get out. Again, avoid e-mail. If you can, try to help solve the requester’s problem.

Swear Off Social Media

If you don’t need it for work, save Facebook for home and turn Twitter off during the work day.

Make Lists

Productivity experts tout to-do lists—no more lying awake at night sweating crucial details you’re sure you’ve forgotten. Keep multiple lists: the short-term must-dos and the longer-term items. Also clearly define the tasks that can be delegated, and then actually delegate them! Don’t set yourself up for failure by starting each day with an unrealistically long agenda. (Common sense, perhaps—but how often do we actually bother to do this,

Set Up A System

More common sense, often ignored. Systems–even the simplest variety–allow projects to move forward while freeing up your mind to relax and dwell on loftier things. “Managing a clear and complete inventory of your commitments brings a great increase in clarity, focus, and control,” says Allen. “And it provides the critical background for making the important distinctions about where you’re going and what’s really important.”

Clear Off Your Desk

Spend the last 15 minutes of each workday cleaning off your desk. Trash what you don’t need and file things once a day. Advises Allen: Touch any piece of paper once. Act on it, and move on.

Bother To Make Use Of The Time You Save

Boosting productivity isn’t just about making sure things get done and feeling more in control along the way. It’s about freeing up time for deeper, creative thinking–perhaps about new products or other ways to generate revenue (or to cut costs). Schedule stretches of creative time throughout the day—mute your phone’s ringer, close your door, avoid e-mail and think.

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Numerology works, literally!

Numerology works, literally!

All you need is your date of birth. Simply add up the digits of your birth date to find out your birth number. For instance, if you are born on the 29th (any month), it's 2+9 i.e 11, then 1+1 i.e 2. So your birth number is 2.

One If your birth number is one, you will naturally be inclined towards creative pursuits and will be a reservoir of new ideas. You would do very well as an inventor, designer, group leader, director, filmmaker or initiator of any new work in any field.

Two The number two is associated with harmony and togetherness. If you don't already have a sophisticated sense of rhythm, you'll find that it's easy to develop it. Dance, music, poetry and mathematics could be your best options. Number twos also make great secretaries and researchers.

Three Versatility and openness are characteristic of number threes. Communication and entertainment are fields that you could explore and excel at. Acting, singing, stage arts, writing and journalism are well suited career options for you. You could also consider fashion design or modeling.

Four If you are a number four, you are most likely a practical person with great determination and solid inner strength. Going by that, you'd do very well as an engineer, builder, programmer, accountant, architect, ecologist or mechanic.

Five The sensualist and adventurer, the number five as your birth number will you're your places. Follow your dreams and steer clear of the beaten track to pursue a career as investigative journalist, publicist, advertising professional, stock market analyst, travel writer or aviation expert.

Six Philanthropy comes naturally to you and being a service oriented person, you would enjoy being a teacher, social worker, medical professional, cook, civil servant or negotiator.

Seven Number sevens turn within themselves and are highly intuitive. They don't know how else to be! If you are a number seven, you could do well as a scientist, psychiatrist, investigator, philosopher, detective or mystery writer.

Eight Leadership is associated with number eight, apart from a persuasive attitude. As an eight number you'd love being a sales manager, banker, stockbroker, management consultant, financier or athlete.

Nine Number nines have a good understanding of the human mind and are readily inspiring. You could consider being a lecturer, physician, humanitarian, lawyer or fine artist.

Deciding on your career according to your birth number will facilitate your growth and success. But if you are really inclined towards some other line of work and feel you can excel at it, go for it

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10 best way to interact with customer during sales call

1. Don't intentionally misrepresent anything.

Never, never, never lie to a customer. About anything. Ever. Period.

2. Fix any important misunderstandings that you can.

It's possible that your customer will form incorrect ideas about some of the products you represent or the services that come with them. It's also possible that they will misunderstand things about your competitors, and about the needs and statements of other people who work in their organizations.

It's very tempting, when these mis-understandings work in your favor, to ignore them. However, that's not acting with integrity. When you become aware of any significant misunderstandings your customer has that impact the buying decision or the larger relationship, you need to correct them. Now, this doesn't mean that you need to set him straight on his political beliefs or his views on the controversial call in Sunday's football game. But it does mean that, on the important issues that impact the sale, allowing misunderstandings to exist is an act, on your part, of passive dishonesty. Correct them when you can.

3. Work hard for your employer.

It's easy for a salesperson to give in to the temptation to cut corners when it comes to working a full day, every day. After all, who really knows if you hit your first call at 9:00 A.M. instead of 8:30 A.M.? And who knows if you take a 30-minute coffee break between calls? And who knows if you make it home by 3:00 P.M. some days, and take a number of afternoons off to visit the golf course or the fishing hole during the summer?

All of these examples are ways of short-changing your employer that, in all probability, no one will ever know about except you.

And that's my point. You will know. A code of ethics is easy to live by when everyone is watching. But it's a real test of character when your ethics are tested in situations where no one else knows, and you know you can get away with it.

You owe your employer consistent, full days of your best efforts. Anything less is unethical.

4. Always be willing to trade a short-term loss for the sake of a long-term gain.

This may be another definition of integrity -- the courage and conviction to walk away from an unethical short-term gain in return for a long-term gain. In other words, always be willing to give up a sale or some immediate advantage if you must stretch the truth or act unethically to get it.

For example, you may have an opportunity to acquire a quick sale because your customer has misunderstood the specifications or features of your product. It's tempting to take the order and not say anything. But that would not be ethical.

The ethical salesperson will correct the customer and lose the immediate gain that the sale would have brought. The payoff, however, is the long-term gain in your reputation for integrity.

A long-term gain achieved ethically is always worth more than any short-term advantage.

5. Do what you say you are going to do.

This isn't as simple as it sounds. One of the obvious implications of doing what you say you're going to do is that you must not say you are going to do something that you know you can't do. In other words, don't over promise. That's difficult to do when you're in the middle of a competitive situation over a nice piece of business, and you know the competition is over promising to get the sale. But, if you're going to be an ethical salesperson, you won't over promise, because you know you won't be able to do what you say you're going to do.

There's another implication -- you must be organized enough to follow through on your promises. The most honest person in the world can be perceived as unreliable if he is not organized enough to follow through on his promises. If you say you're going to call a customer back on Thursday, make sure that you have a tickler file, day-time planner, computer program, or some other system that will remind you to call them back when Thursday comes. It's not only good business, it's ethical.

6. Give liberally.

As a distributor salesperson, you enjoy a challenging job with a lot of freedom and a substantial income level. The world is full of people who would love to have that. You're one of life's more fortunate people.

I think that means that you have a greater than average responsibility to give back to society. Give of your money freely to charitable or religious causes, and give liberally of your time and expertise to the organizations that you can help. Your expertise, your time, your people skills, your organizational skills, and your confidence and ability to get things done -- all of these are assets you can bring to the Boy Scouts, your church, the PTA, and a thousand other organizations that can use your abilities.

Since you are more blessed with talent, time, and money than most of the population, you have a greater responsibility to use it for purposes other than just your own edification. Give liberally.

7. Recognize those who help you.

It's easy to get into the mind-set that you alone are responsible for your success. After all, you're out there all alone, fighting the battle every day. Nobody else knows what good work you did in getting that account, or how hard it is some days when nothing goes your way.

In spite of this, you couldn't do your job without the support of a whole group of people back at the office. Your manager gave you an opportunity and nurtured you along. The inside people have cleaned up more than a few of your messes, and they have positively impacted many of your customers. The manufacturers you represent have put lots of time and energy into creating the products that ultimately provide your livelihood.

All of these people, and probably dozens of others, have contributed in significant ways to your success. It is just as dishonest to not recognize them as it is to misrepresent a product.

The ethical salesperson recognizes those people who have helped him.

8. Continuously learn and improve.

You are not as good at sales as you can be. You have yet to reach your potential. One of the reasons why your employer hired you for this position is that he/she saw potential in you. I believe you have an ethical obligation, not only to your employer but also to yourself, to become as good as you can be - to continuously improve yourself. When you decide that you are good enough, that you know about all you need to know, you quit learning and improving. And when that happens, you rob yourself and your employer of that potential you have that will not be developed.

What a shame! It's not good business. And besides, it's unethical.

9. Never give up.

This may seem odd in a section on ethics, but I believe that giving up is the same thing as going home early or taking extra days off without anybody's approval. Both shortchange yourself as well as your employer.

When you give up prematurely on a sale, or you give up on yourself and give into negative thinking, you're choosing to deprive yourself and your employer of the full benefit of your talent and time. That's unethical.

10. Don't speak badly about anyone.

In my first sales position, when I was selling amplification equipment, there were 29 major installations purchased in my territory. I got 28. My stomach still gets a little tight whenever I remember one of my crucial sales calls with the # 29 customer.

During the course of the conversation, she stopped me and said, "You know, I really don't like it that you're so negative about your competitor." I was stunned, embarrassed, and flustered. I turned beet red, and stumbled out an apology. But that was the end of that deal.

All because I had spoken badly about my competitor. That was an intensely painful lesson for me. I resolved never to make that mistake again.

As I matured, I realized that, when you negatively judge anyone, you really say more about yourself than you do about the other person. Speaking badly about a competitor, your boss, your company, or a manufacturer, always makes you look bad. And besides, it's unethical.

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Inspiration Quotes

Impossible is a word to be found only in the dictionary of fools." - Napoleon Bonaparte

"The human race is governed by its imagination." - Napoleon Bonaparte

"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty." - Winston Churchill

"Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country"- John. F. Kennedy

"Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek." - Barack Obama-

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