Being a manager

Being a manager is quite different from being a leader. Anyone can be a manager but not necessarily a leader. And well, anyone can also be a leader but not necessarily be the manager. In reality, being a manager is quite easier and more convenient than being a leader. Any employee can be appointed, designated or promoted as a manager, but this does not necessarily make him a leader. In the case of family enterprises or businesses, being a manager can be inherited. Being a leader is indeed a different matter. So what makes the manager different from the leader?

Apparently, these two need to be synchronized and work together. A managerial position is one in the middle ranks or among the top in an organization, depending on its size and type. A manager may or may not have subordinates or followers, depending on the department or function being managed. On the other hand, a leader is a person who influences others to accomplish an objective and directs the organization in a way that makes it more cohesive and coherent (Clark, 2010). A leader makes his followers want to achieve high goals, rather than simply bossing people around ("Concepts of" …, 1).

A leader may be effective or not at all. The effectiveness of a leader depends on many aspects, such as his character, values, personality and his style (Clark, 2010). The most significant determining factor for the effectiveness of a leader is his style. This essay discusses the different styles of leadership according to the Leadership /Managerial Grid based on the Blake-Mouton Grid (1985). The Blake-Mouton Managerial Grid is also known as the |Leadership Grid has two axes which delve on the two types of concerns: one for the people and the other one is the concern for the tasks.

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A manager's concern for the task is plotted in the vertical axis. The concern for the task is plotted o the horizontal axis. The horizontal axis "Concern for Results" means being task-oriented. The vertical axis "Concern for People" means being task-oriented. As can be seen from the grid, both the vertical and the horizontal axes have a range of 0 to 9. Ideally, a leader should be in the range from 5,5 to 9,9 (Clark, 2010). Most leaders would fall in the center, or the "Middle of the Road|".

The Grid classifies leaders into four basic categories: Impoverished, Country Club, Team Leader and the Authoritarian. The Impoverished leader is basically low in both axes, hence he is rated as low in both being task and people –oriented. He uses the "delegate and disappear" management style. He may not be committed to either task accomplishment or maintenance; he essentially allows his team to do whatever it wishes and prefer to be detached from the team process by allowing the team to suffer from a series of power struggles (Clark, 2010).

The Team Leader is high on both axes, meaning if one is rated in this category, he is both task and people-oriented. He exhibits positive examples and allows team environment which can motivate members to maximize their potentials. While working hard to fulfill tasks and goals, team leaders strive to strengthen and maintain dynamic bonding which is the glue that is supposed to hold the team together. The most productive teams are usually led by “team leaders” (Clark, 2010). The authoritarian, the conventional type of leader is high on task, but low on the concern for the people.

Authoritarian type of leaders are basically autocratic i. e. , they are task-oriented and can be rigid with people. Little or no collaboration at all is allowed. Hence, schedules can be rigidly followed here. This style of leadership can be quite difficult for employees to develop (Clark, 2010). The Club member type of leader utilizes the power of rewarding in maintaining discipline and productivity. This leader may not be so confident with real leadership skills such that he relies on his social magic and special charms to motivate team members.

The Leadership or Managerial grid is actually an evolution of Blake and Mouton’s two prime characteristics of leadership: being task and production-oriented as against being considerate and compassionate, or people-oriented (Goethals, G. , Sorenson G. ; Burns, J. (eds. ) 2004, p. 335). The situational mode of leadership, similar to the Grid, was developed by scholars Kenneth Blanchard and Paul Hersey in 1970 (Goethals, et. al. , 2004, p. 335). In their leadership model, the maturity level of the followers was linked as a determining factor in the leadership style whether it should be telling, participating, delegating or selling.

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