OPPapers.com

Lead Vs. Manage

The Roles of Management and Leadership

Although it is a common belief that leadership and management are one in the same, the reality is that they are in-fact two distinctly different traits. Granted, in order to be an effective manager, superior leadership skills are very useful but it is the job of managers to develop processes and ways of measuring things. They plan, set targets, budget, track numbers and write guidelines to keep the organization running smoothly. Good managers are absolutely vital to an organization’s success, but good managers are not necessarily good leaders. It is very possible too for a good leader to have poor management skills. After all, just being able to encourage people to follow and believe in one’s visions doesn’t mean that a leader can delegate well or monitor progress or control financial documents. A manager's most important and most difficult job is to manage people. It is up to the manager to direct, motivate, inspire, and encourage those they supervise. Sometimes a manager also has to hire, fire, discipline, and evaluate employees. It is these types of tasks that require good management.
It is true that leadership and management are different, but as most anyone could explain, they very much go hand-in-hand. One of the most significant parts of a manger's job is to become a positive role model that can pull a team together and deliver the level of service that is expected from their customers. If a manager is leading well, it will inevitably cause changes in the organization. That manager needs to be prepared for those changes and the impact they will have on people within, and outside, of the group. In the end, if you are not making changes, you are probably not leading. Leadership skills and management skills compliment each other. Leadership is a process by which a person influences others to accomplish an objective. Ideally, this is exactly what every manager wants to be able to do well in order to...