When leadership isn't right: managing, following, and learning well

Executive overview

Most leaders over-index on leading. Management handles complexity; leadership handles change — and for most roles, the split skews heavily toward management. Adding followership as a third mode rounds out the picture.

This Q&A episode works through four listener questions: adjusting when feedback lands as aggressive, choosing between managing and leading, evaluating certificate programmes, and how a podcast finds guests.

The right question isn't "am I being a leader?" — it's "what does this situation actually need from me?"

Adjusting when your feedback is perceived as aggressive

• Ask: "If there were one thing I could do differently, what would that be?" — turns vague feedback into something actionable.
• If critique is your primary contribution, that becomes your brand; shift toward a more visionary, forward-looking role.
• Try a personal rule: let three others speak before you contribute — gives you a measurable target without announcing it.
• Vary the type of feedback you give; affirm what's working, reserve critical input for moments that genuinely warrant it.
• Soften delivery with phrases like "I could be totally wrong about this" — useful tactically, but use consciously; tentative language can undermine credibility, particularly for women.
• Experiment with one change, then check back with the feedback-giver; if it landed, keep going — if not, try something else.

Leadership vs. management: choosing the right activity

• Leadership = the activity that addresses change in an organisation.
• Management = the activity that addresses complexity in an organisation.
• Most roles involve both; the question is distribution, not identity.
• Most people spend more time managing than leading — execution-heavy periods are management-dominant by design.
• Strategic retreats and planning sessions are where leadership activity belongs.
• "Leader" is not a person; it is an activity — the framing matters for knowing when to apply it.

The overlooked third mode: followership

• Senior position does not mean you should always be leading or managing those around you.
• With highly capable colleagues, the most effective stance is often removing barriers and serving their work.
• Followership enables meaningful delegation in both directions — and requires genuine mutual trust.
• Followership is undervalued and under-discussed in most organisations.

Evaluating leadership certificate programmes

• Start with why: a credential for organisational credibility calls for a different answer than genuine skill-building.
• Skills-based certificates (project management, negotiation, lean) often carry more practical credibility than a generic leadership certificate.
• Look at which programmes the senior people in your target organisation actually hold — cultural fit matters.
• In the US, prioritise regionally accredited programmes; national accreditation sounds better but sets a lower bar.
• Avoid courses titled "Introduction to Leadership" or "Foundations of Leadership" — these are theory-heavy; look for titles tied to specific skills.
• Attend an information session and observe who else shows up; your cohort peers are a significant part of the programme's value.
• Look for mentorship, coaching, and cohort structures — these drive transformation, not just credential accumulation.
• Master's programmes in leadership suit academics and OB specialists; for working managers, a standalone practical certificate is usually more useful.

How the podcast finds guests

• Three sources: recognised experts whose work aligns with listener needs; guests sought to answer recurring listener problems; individuals with compelling stories.
• A topic raised by two or three listeners signals widespread need and prompts a guest search.
• All outreach and preparation is done personally — four to five hours per interview — to protect show quality.
• Pitches arrive four to five times a day; most are declined if they don't address a genuine leadership question for the audience.
• Post-production editing is the only delegated part of the process.