IS THERE A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT?
Many people believe management and leadership are the same however, a manager is not necessarily a leader, nor is a leader necessarily a manager. Employees follow a leader but employees work for a manager.
Both managers and leaders share similar concepts by:
- conceptualizing what needs to be done
- aligning and managing resources and people
- taking an active role to create success
- vision
- imagination
- empowering
- motivation
WHAT MAKES MANAGEMENT DIFFERENT FROM LEADERSHIP?
Though both management and leadership are necessary for an organization’s success, leadership does not replace management, but is in addition to management. Managers prefer stability, have objectives, make decisions, and control employees to accomplish a goal. Leaders operate more personally when making decisions, prioritizing, and goal setting. Leaders are flexible, have a vision, facilitate decision-making, are risk taking, and make decisions for the longterm.
ONE KEY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT IS LEADERS FOCUS ON THEIR PEOPLE SKILLS TO ENCOURAGE THEIR EMPLOYEES TO REACH HIGHER LEVELS AND STANDARDS THAN THEY WOULD ON THEIR OWN.
Management supervises organizational goals through:
- staffing
- directing
- controlling the organization’s resources
- planning
- budgeting
- maintaining stability
- efficiency
Leaders lead people through:
- guiding, inspiring and empowering others
- taking the lead in a vision
- bringing other’s performance and vision to a higher level
- bringing a group together to succeed in a vision
- effectively motivating and inspiring others
- assisting others through coaching skills
Good leaders have a firm grasp of management skills and of managerial plans, schedules, and resources for achieving specific results. With this knowledge, leaders are able to focus on shaping ideas, values, visions, and changes for their organization and leave management in charge of the numbers, the plans, and managing the work.
What do you think? Do leaders need both leadership and management skills whereas managers do not necessarily need leadership skills?
Reference materials:
The Leadership Experience by R.L. Daft. (4th ed.).
Similarities and Differences Between Leadership and Management by M. Young & V. Dulewicz. Why We Need Leaders by G. Rush
Hi, I’m Karen. Welcome to my website! I will show you how to establish the framework for an organized and successful leadership and office management system.
