Nearly every organization I know of has tried at least one of the following strategies to either end-run the management part of leadership or else force managers to take a stronger hand:

TECHNOLOGY, IMMIGRATION AND OUTSOURCING. Business leaders say to me: "Computers don't argue, complain, or make demands!" Others tell me: "Workers from more traditional cultures still have the old-fashioned work ethic." There are obvious limits to these.

THE NEW MANAGEMENT BY OBJECTIVE. Managers at all levels today are given numbers to meet for every dimension of their operations, with the very worthy intention to focus on concrete, measurable outcomes. The problem is that what gets measured is often not tied directly to actions in the control of individual employees. Without step-by-step directions communicated clearly at every level of the chain of command, these objectives are often little more than wishes.

FORCED RANKING. Managers should be required to make candid evaluations of every employee and differentiation is key. But ranking becomes an exercise in annual guesswork unless managers monitor, measure, and document every employee's performance every step of the way. Once a year doesn't do the trick.

PAY FOR PERFORMANCE. I applaud decreasing fixed pay and increasing the percentage contingent on performance. The problem is that pay for performance only drives performance when the manager routinely spells out for the employee exactly what he needs to do to get paid more (or less) and helps the employee keep score on an ongoing basis.

CAN YOU HIRE YOUR WAY OUT OF MANAGING? I am a firm believer in using rigorous hiring systems. The problem is that you cannot hire an unlimited number of superstars. Besides, even superstars need to be managed.

THE PUNCHLINE: THERE IS NO END-RUN AROUND THE MANAGEMENT PART OF LEADERSHIP!