Leadership vs. Management

987 Words2 Pages

Leadership vs. Management Much has been written about the difference between management and leadership. In the past, competent management staffs ran effective companies. In light of our ever-changing world, however, most companies have come to realize that it is much more important to lead than to manage. In today's world the old ways of management no longer work. One reason is that the degree of environmental and competitive change we are experiencing is extreme. Although exciting, the world is also very unstable and confused. In an article entitled What’s the Difference between Your Hospital and the Other? Gary Campbell states that the difference between a manager and a leader is that the manager “finds himself quite willing to take risk, but seemingly afraid to take the risk of being different.” That being true, a manager will always be reactive instead of proactive. A true leader will be proactive. He will embrace change and will look for ways to differentiate himself and his company from the competition. Warren Bennis – a popular writer of leadership resources – defines the difference between managers and leaders by using the following contrasts: 1. The manager administers; the leader innovates. 2. The manager maintains; the leader develops. 3. The manager accepts reality; the leader investigates it. 4. The manager focuses on systems and structures; the leader focuses on people. 5. The manager relies on control; the leader inspires trust. 6. The manager has a short-range view; the leader has a long-range perspective. 7. The manager asks how and when; the leader asks what and why. 8. The manager has his or her eye always on the bottom line; the leader has his or her eye on the horizon. 9. The manager imitates; the leader originates. 10. The manager accepts the status quo; the leader challenges it. 11. The manager is the classic good soldier; the leader is his or her own person. The culture of an organization is embodied in its vision as well as the actions and attitude of its employees. Managers can sometimes sustain the skeleton of the company culture but it takes a leader to invigorate it and keep it healthy. A manager works hard at keeping the “old” culture and a leader works even harder at ensuring the culture is innovative and breathing in each of its employees. Bo... ... middle of paper ... ...capacity, probably both are necessary in a successful organization. However, in order to keep a company competitive and on the leading edge in an industry, it is more important to have strong leadership than strong management. With strong leadership, the culture of an organization is kept not only alive, but also healthy and thriving. An organization with strong leadership always encourages change and most always requires it. Both through a focus on hiring and developing strong leaders and maintaining a consistent two-way communication system, an organization can ensure its culture is created and maintained in a healthy manner. With strong leadership an organization will continue to change with its environment and keep ahead of the competition. Works Cited Bennis, Walter (1997). Learning To Lead: A Workbook on Becoming A Leader, pg. 9, Perseus Books, Addison/Wesley Campbell, Gary (2004). What’s the Difference Between Your Hospital and the Other? HealthLeaders News July, 2004 One Thousand Ventures (2000). Business Guide, Management. Retrieved April 20, 2005 from http://www.1000ventures.com/business_guide/mgmt_new-model_25lessons-welch.html#LMML

Open Document