Management And Leadership

A leader can be a manager, but a manager is not necessarily a leader. The leader of the work group may emerge informally as the choice of the group. If a manager is able to influence people to achieve the goals of the organization, without using his or her formal authority to do so, then the manager is also demonstrating leadership. This paper discusses the roles and responsibilities of an effective leader in any organizational culture.

Leadership and management are two words that are used interchangeably. However, these words actually describe two different concepts. Leadership is just one of the many assets a successful manager must possess. The main aim of a manager is to maximize the output of the organization through administrative implementation. To achieve this, managers must use organizing, planning, staffing, directing, and controlling but a manager cannot just be a leader, he/she also needs formal authority to be effective.

Without leading as well as managing, organizations face many threats. A manager is hired by the organization and is given formal authority to direct the activity of others in fulfilling organizational goals. Thus, leading is a major part of a manager's job. Yet a manager must also plan, organize, and control. Leadership deals with the interpersonal aspects of a manager's job, whereas planning, organizing, and controlling deal with the administrative aspects (Bateman 2004).

Leadership deals with change, inspiration, motivation, and influence. Management deals more with carrying out the organization's goals and maintaining stability. A manager should plan, organize, lead and control, while a leader influences people through motivation, communication, group dynamics, and discipline. The manager’s purpose of directing is to channel the behavior of all personnel to accomplish the organization's mission and objectives while simultaneously helping them accomplish their own career objectives (Leadership vs. Management,2006).

Leadership is a relationship based on mutual influence and common purpose between leaders and employees in which both are moved to higher levels of motivation and moral development as they affect real, intended change in their organization (Chapman, 2005). Loyalty is important amongst leaders, and team members tend to be more loyal to their leaders than their manager’s. This is due in part to leaders accepting the blame for when things go wrong, celebrating team/group achievements and giving credit when it is due. Managers do not interact with their subordinates as much as leaders do because leaders do not have subordinates they have followers (Chapman, 2005).