WhiteLake Data Management

The Tag Line

Leadership for change, management for effectiveness, governance for stability

We commonly lump these three skills together.  For years, I had a feeling that there was something that I was missing.  Most of us expect management to provide leadership even though we regularly acknowledge leaders who are not in management.  Only the relatively recent emphasis on data governance, which led to discussions involving leadership, management and governance as co-equal necessities, has led me to think more directly about their inter-relationship.  

Teased apart, it became apparent that it isn't even realistic to expect to find them all in one person. The traits required of a leader basically insure that he or she will not be effective in governance and vice versa. We all have to be able to govern ourselves, manage our time and occasionally display leadership but leaders, managers and governors have different responsibilities and need different attitudes and approaches.  They may be different personality types.

Each of the three must be aware of the drivers, motives, and needs of the others in order to create an organization capable of creating and holding a data resource.  Good governance demands a very conservative approach that ensures that nothing will change until everyone is prepared.  Good management may require much faster change as the organization is forced to adapt to changing requirements.  Finally, good leadership requires the ability to carry followers some distance into change before they pause and begin to repair and extend their managment and governance structures (which they do without resentment).

Everyone prefers to take a reasoned, planned, strategy- and vision-based approach to change and a leader who charges ahead too frequently without regard for the mental health of the followers will soon turn around and find himself alone.  An organization needs many more governors than managers and many more managers than leaders.

The impact of this is that, when you need a leader, manager or governor with specialized knowledge and skills, you may have to go outside your organization.  A good way to handle this is to "rent" the specialization that you need in order to mentor someone already in your organization. 

The best information for the best decision.

Leadership for change, management for effectiveness, governance for stability.