Management And Leadership

Management and Leadership

Management and leadership, two words that are considered synonymous and are often used in the same context, yet they do not mean the same thing and they describe two different concepts. According to the dictionary, management is 1) The act, manner or practice of managing; handling, supervision, or control; 2) The person or persons who control or direct a business or other enterprise; 3) Skill in managing; executive ability; where as leadership is 1) The position or office of a leader; 2) Capacity or ability to lead; 3) A group of leaders; 4) Guidance; direction. In many organizations, management is a job description; leadership is a positive trait. Managers tend to think incrementally, while leaders think radically. This difference in perspectives is that leaders tend to lead with emotion and concern for their subordinates; managers tend to follow guidelines and company policies while utilizing management functions to achieve their desired goals.

The purpose of this paper is to distinguish between the two, look at the responsibilities that come with leadership and make suggestions for creating and maintaining a healthy organizational culture.

In business, management can be defined as (1) the pursuit of organizational goals efficiently and effectively by (2) integrating the work of people through (3) planning, organizing, leading and controlling the organization's resources. Management is a theory and a way of doing business. It is a process that is exercised in order for an organization to be successful. This process is generally broken down into four established functions: planning, organizing, leading, and controlling. Management is the function that determines how the organizations human, financial, physical, informational, and technical resources are arranged and coordinated to perform the necessary tasks towards achievement of the organizations strategic goals. Management normally consists of people, who are experienced in their field, and have worked their way up the company. A manager knows how each layer of the system works and may also possess a good technical knowledge. Managers are "principally administrators ¬- they write business plans, set budgets and monitor progress." Additional tasks handled by managers are problem-solving and facilitating meetings. Managers usually achieve their position through experience and understanding, and obtain authority through time and loyalty.

In business, leadership is "the ability to influence employees to voluntarily pursue organizational goals." Leadership is one of the many assets a successful manager should possess. While management is considered a position, leadership is considered a relationship. Thus, leadership is the connection between the leader and their subordinates that makes management successful. This connection can strengthen an organization and make the work more focused and effective. Leadership is the ability to get people to willingly follow. A person who exhibits the traits of leadership is called a leader. The role of a leader is to ensure that the desired tasks and guidelines are implemented throughtout the team. Since managers can not be everywhere at the same time, leaders are put into place to bridge the gap while echoing managements requirements. Because leaders are the link between the team and management, they should show compassion and understanding