Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsUnderstanding Leadership vs. ManagementApplying Management Versus Leadership
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Understanding Leadership vs. Management
Applying Management Versus Leadership
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For many people, the words management and leadership can be used interchangeably. After all, the manager is normally the one in charge of a group of employees, which makes that person their leader. You may even be thinking about advancing in your company to be a part ofleadershipin a position that requires you to manage people.
In a workplace context, it’s easy to confuse the two concepts and think that they mean the same thing. But experts say that’s not the case.
“Leaders are those people who create a vision of the future they want to see, figure out a direction to get there, decide on the specific steps to make it happen, and then get busy motivating and inspiring people to get behind their ideas and following through with them, explainsCarl R. Nassar, PhD, LPC, CIIPTS.
He says leadership differs significantly from what a manager does.
“The role of a manager is to make sure people are staying on task, and staying focused, in honoring theleader’s vision. They’re likely to build structures to help people follow a plan and arrive at the leader’s destination. They’re likely to create organizational systems to get everyone to achieve the leader’s goals,” Dr. Nassar notes.
Let’s take a look at the characteristics of both leadership and management, real-world examples of these concepts in action, and give you helpful insight on when to use leadership versus management approaches.
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Even with definitions of the terms, it can still be hard to tell leadership and management apart. Both are essential components of group success, whether it’s in the workplace, on a sports team, or in a working group at school.
“Both management and leadership are responsible for guiding and influencing individuals or groups to achieve common goals. The primary objective of both management and leadership is to attain organizational goals. Managers and leaders are both involved in decision-making processes, and both roles require strong interpersonal skills,” explains Dan Freschi, President ofEDGE Where Leadership Begins.
But understanding the specific roles and traits of people in leadership and management is what helps to set them apart.
LeadersHave a vision and strategyAren’t afraid of riskMotivate and inspire othersInitiate changeManagersSolve problemsCoordinate resourcesGuide team membersMonitor performance
LeadersHave a vision and strategyAren’t afraid of riskMotivate and inspire othersInitiate change
Have a vision and strategy
Aren’t afraid of risk
Motivate and inspire others
Initiate change
ManagersSolve problemsCoordinate resourcesGuide team membersMonitor performance
Solve problems
Coordinate resources
Guide team members
Monitor performance
Leadership in a Nutshell
Leaders set the direction and tone for the group. Experts note that leadership produces change and movement:
People in leadership also have internal qualities that serve them well and benefit their company.
“Effective leaders are authentic and have a high sense of self-awareness. Teams appreciate leaders who are true to themselves and embrace their vulnerabilities. In doing so, they relate to their teams on a human level,” adds Ashley Rudolph Founder & Performance Coach atWork with Ashley R.
Management in a Nutshell
Managers are also strong leaders in their own right. What causes them to function more in a management capacity is their focus, their end goal, and the way that they implement their plan of success.
Effective managers understand their team’s work. They’ve mastered the task, projects, or work product that their team is responsible for and as a result, understand the most effective and efficient ways to do that work at scale.—ASHLEY RUDOLPH, PERFORMANCE COACH
Effective managers understand their team’s work. They’ve mastered the task, projects, or work product that their team is responsible for and as a result, understand the most effective and efficient ways to do that work at scale.
—ASHLEY RUDOLPH, PERFORMANCE COACH
Management personnel are more focused on executing their leader’s vision, as opposed to creating the vision.
While a person in leadership looks at the big picture of a company’s future, the manager works on the details and specifics of moving the group from point A to point B. Management produces order and consistency:
Someone in management is focused on the daily operations of a business. This person wants to make sure that the business is meeting its goals consistently on a day-to-day basis.
Having a better understanding of the differences between leadership and management is beneficial when trying to determine which concept you need to implement in various situations.
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You apply leadership when you are in a situation where you need to lead people on a journey through change, when you create a vision for your group’s future growth, and when you motivate others to help you make that vision happen. You clearly see the end goal and inspire others to help you attain it.
You apply management in situations where the vision for a business is laid out before you and you handle the responsibility of making sure tasks are done, monitoring the performance of employees, and solving problems tokeep procedures running smoothlyon a daily basis.
Both concepts are hugely valuable, and necessary for the success of the group. And yes, you can be both a leaderanda manager, which is why it’s so critical to understand when each is the most helpful and useful to the group.
“Leading others effectively requires both management and leadership skills, with leading being a critical component of effective management. . . When there is no leadership, management becomes a soulless routine,” Freschi concludes. “Both leadership and management are equally crucial for any organization to achieve its goals effectively.”
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