Relational dilemma of leadership

Where should manager leaders locate ourselves in relation to the groups and organisations which we lead? Many leaders get this wrong. The most common practice is for manager leaders to join our other manager leaders and place ourselves above our people. We conform to an us-and-them pressure from both groups, it protects our authority and it is personally less vulnerable but it is not the most effective and fulfilling way to lead.

The other very popular practice is to place ourselves out in front of our followers and hope that our charisma and inspiration will somehow suck the group in a preferred direction.

Russell Crowe in the movie “Master and Commander” moved effortlessly between both positions! The flaw is in confusing authority and leadership and the cost is separation and disconnection. So where might be a better place for manager leaders to locate ourselves?