Leadership vs. Management

Leadership vs. Management

Wk 1 Assignment

MGT321 Assessing Leadership Skills

Leadership Vs Management

Leadership and management go hand in hand. All though both are different, they are linked to each other and complement each other. Management is responsible for the bottom line and short-term results, leadership means keeping an eye on the long-term future (Daft, R.L. 2011). Leadership and management are often used interchangeably, but they are two distinctive and complementary processes (Marian-Aurelian, B. 2015). All though both are necessary for success, you need to have a clear distinction between both. With this paper we will look at the difference between both roles to define the differences.

Role of a Manager

A successful organization is the result of successful employees. With, one of the key ingredients to a successful employee is a strong manager. Managers are leaders on a smaller scale. As stated before the manager is responsible for the bottom line and the short-term results. They help to organize and motivate employees. They are also responsible for ensuring the organization is running smoothly. As a central figure in an organization, managers are responsible for getting things done and ensuring things are done correctly. They get involved in organization and coordination and the overall delegation of responsibility (Telespan, C & Halmaghi, E. 2012).

Managers play several roles, such as interpersonal roles, informational roles, and decisional roles. As the figurehead of the organization it is the manager’s job to perform ceremonial duties, for instance signing legal documents as the head of the organization or department. Interpersonal roles are more routine tasks such handling the delivery of important communication to the employees or helping to make less important decisions for the department. These tasks help the department and organization to run more smoothly. The manager is also tasked with functions such as motivation of employees and encouragement of team spirit. He/She also must coordinate the activities of all his subordinates and acting as a liaison between other departments and managers. Mangers also have a monitoring role in which they are responsible for providing information to leadership by keeping track of the office environment and the employees. The manager is responsible for providing any updates to the leadership team that need to be communicated. One of the less positive parts of a managerial role is identifying issues and the handling of corrective actions or disciplinary actions of employees.

Role of a Leader

Leadership is an important function in any organization because it helps to maximize efficiency and achieve the organizational goals. One of the key roles as a leader is to initiate action. A leader in an organization starts the work by communicating the policies and plans to the subordinates from where the work begins. A leader also acts as a motivator by playing an incentive role in the concern’s working and motivates the employees with economic and non-economical rewards. As a leader you must get others to do the work that is necessary to operate the organization. It is important to learn how to delegate and motivate others to complete tasks. By doing this, the employee will gain a sense of purpose.

Another key function of the leader is to communicate the vision of the organization. To achieve the long-term goal, the work force must know what is expected of them. This can be done by explaining their daily activities as how they relate to the long-term vision of the organization. The employee looks to the leader for the direction of the organization. It is also the leader who sets an example by working hard, dedication to the organization and the employees, as well as being optimistic even in the most stressful times. Building confidence is an important factor to be a leader and this can be achieved through expressing the work efforts of the employees, explaining to them clearly what their role is and giving guidelines to allow them to achieve their goals effectively. It is also critical that employees can voice concerns and complaints to the leader so that they feel confident that they are being heard.

A leader can be a morale booster in an organization by achieving the full cooperation so that they perform their tasks with the best of abilities. By building a positive work environment you will get the most from the employees. A leader has the ability to do this by having personal contacts with the employees and listening to their problems and helping them solve them.

Personality Traits for Leadership

Who makes a good leader? When looking for a great leader for your organization you may want to look for a few different personality traits. These can help decide who would best fit the position in the organization. There are a few personality traits that help to make a great leader. Ambition drive and tenacity, self-confidence, and realism are just a few. Ambition is the desire to achieve something and pushes a leader to strive to reach maximum potential. Their drive and tenacity are what pushes them on to get to the goal. A leader with drive and tenacity will continue to drive their priorities through the organization and search for information they are missing until they reach their desired goal. A leader with self-confidence allows a leader to listen to themselves and be able to confidently make important decisions. A leader is expected to deliberate accurately and make the right decisions. A self-confident leader has the vision and courage to make decisions and push the organization to where they want it to go. They have a clear idea and strategy on the goals for the organization. Self-confidence will help the leader to have enough trust and belief in his abilities and actions and this will allow the team to feel more confident in him and themselves. Finally, realism. Realism is the mid-point between optimism and pessimism. It is important for a leader to be realistic. Optimism can lead to ambitions goals that are over-optimistic and can damage an organization. However, pessimists shy away from ambition and new innovations because of the fear and belief of failure. A leader with realism is open to whatever hand reality deals them and more willing to work through a situation by getting information, weighing it, evaluating it, and determining the next steps.

Conclusion

In conclusion there are clear difference between the roles of a manager and that of a leader. However, an individual can be both successfully (Marian-Aurelian, B. 2015). The overall mission of both the leader and the manager is to achieve the goals of the organization. While one may be a good manager, they may not have the personality traits needed to be a great leader.

References

Daft, R.L. (2011). The leadership experience (5th ed.). Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning

Marian-Aurelian, B. (2015). Leadership Versus Management. Romanian Economic Business Review, (2), 181.

Teleşpan, C., & Halmaghi, E. (2012). LEADERSHIP VERSUS MANAGEMENT. Revista Academiei Fortelor Terestre, 17(1), 70-73.