What's the difference between leadership and management? The
answer to that depends on whom you ask. For many people, these two concepts
overlap so much that it can be difficult for them to tell where one ends and
the other begins.
However, as with most things, there is a consensus that can be
drawn from those who study this field. Generally speaking, those in management
positions tend to focus on organization and planning, while those in leadership
positions tend to focus on inspiration.
Although both are necessary for a company to function, it is often
in their best interest that they are separated into different positions. Too
much management can stifle creativity and reduce productivity, while too little
can leave employees confused about their tasks and responsibilities.
When looking at this difference between leadership vs management further, it becomes apparent that there are two very different mindsets at work.
Why Leaders are Great at Inspiring Other People
People follow leaders for different reasons, but one of the most
common motivations is that they are inspired by them. This motivation can be
achieved through authenticity and passion — two traits that often go
hand-in-hand.
Leaders who fail to inspire their followers typically fall into
one of three categories: they're trying to use traditional management
techniques in an inspiring environment, they're not as authentic as they should
be, or they simply lack the passion that their employees are looking for.
A good example of this is how Seah Moon Ming, Chairman of
Singapore's leading transport provider, bowed in front of the press to
apologize for the problems met by their company. Since taking his post as head
of SMRT Corporation, he stepped down from Pavilion Energy and
focused more on fixing the problems at hand by becoming more involved on the
ground level.
Regardless of which category a leader falls into, those who fail
to inspire end up with an ineffective leadership style. On the other hand,
leaders who find a way to balance authenticity and passion have a tool for
motivating their followers that can't quite be matched by traditional
management techniques.
Why Managers are
Still Needed in the Workplace
Even if a leader is inspiring, they still need to rely on managers
for things like organizing and planning. While leaders can do this themselves,
most leaders find that delegating these tasks to trusted managers can make them
more effective at their own jobs.
Whether it's hiring the best employees, keeping other managers in
check, or just helping to keep everyone moving towards their goal, managers
play an important role that
leaders cannot accomplish on their own.
Of course, if a leader and a manager are both good at their
respective jobs, there won't be much of a difference between them because they
will both be doing what they're best at. However, when a leader fails to
inspire or a manager fails to organize these types of jobs are where the
problems usually arise.
What Happens
When Leaders Don't Let Managers Do Their Jobs?
One of the biggest problems that can arise when leaders don't let
managers do their job is indecisiveness. When leaders try to manage everything
themselves, projects and tasks can drag on longer than they should.
To put this another way: if a leader isn't willing to let go of the
reins, then projects will take longer, and their followers won't be as inspired
by them. This could lead to employees looking for other opportunities or even
quitting entirely.
Of course, some problems arise when managers don't let leaders do
their job. Those who fail to let leaders inspire their followers typically find
that they lose trust and respect quickly. Without this trust and respect, it
becomes difficult for these managers to lead effectively — which only adds to
the problem.
Regardless of whether it's a leader or manager that fails to do
their job, the result tends to be uninspired employees and lost productivity.
This is one reason why it's in a company's best interest for leaders and
managers to work together effectively.
Leadership vs Management: Which is More Important?
As you can see, leadership vs management is an important
distinction in the workplace, but it's also one that is easier to understand
when you know what you're looking for. If leaders inspire and managers
organize, then there won't be any problems in the workplace. But when these
jobs aren't divided effectively, there can be problems down the road.
While there are plenty of benefits to using leadership and
management interchangeably, it's important to remember that they are two
separate concepts. Even if managers sometimes act like leaders, it's important
to remember that the two terms refer to different things, but one is not better
than the other.
In conclusion, leadership and management are two concepts that
often overlap. However, while both require some degree of organization and
planning, leadership is about inspiring people to reach a goal whereas
management is about organizing and planning resources.
**Image from Pexels.com
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