Leadership vs. management

Although the skills required are the same, managing and leading are quite unique In the qualities that are presented when one Is doing either one or the other. Management is task-oriented and is focused on executing, maintaining, and controlling under normal circumstances. In the presence of change, conflict, and crisis, managers need to be able to demonstrate leadership behaviors In order to navigate an organization in a positive way through these events. In a position of authority, a manager may be asked to control costs, manage people, and coordinate projects.

These are all management tasks In nature and are associated with power or authority within the realm of a managers position. A anger should be able to maintain stability and performance of their teams - these are management skills at a basic level. Being a leader Is different In the sense that It requires the ability to create positive change, add value, and look for ways to improve an organization. Put simply, leadership is the ability to influence, motivate, and enable people to contribute towards organizational success.

Leading by example and by enabling people are the characteristics of action-based leadership and again show that leadership is a behavior and not a task to perform. In the face of change or turbulence In an organization. Such as facing strong competition or an economic downturn, management skills are not enough to deal with these types of environmental forces. Such events require leadership in order for organizations to Innovate, change direction, or do something new.

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Having management skills is not enough in these types of scenarios where an organization will be faced with doubt. Uncertainty, and fear - organizations will deteriorate and fail without adequate leadership. Leading positive change enables individuals to experience appreciation, elaboration. Vitality. And meaningfulness In their work (Wheaton, pub" This Is the difference between influence and power. Power over individuals will not get a manager desired results unless he or she is able to influence the right behaviors and attitudes within their teams.

Also, people are looking for more responsibility and challenge in their work - managers should empower people to make their own decisions and collaborate with each other. The Harvard Business Review recently reported organizations relinquishing authority and Glenn employees considerable autonomy that resulted in innovation and success (Mar et al, 2009). Developing skills in leadership sometimes requires you to look for opportunities to lead In an organization when no one Is asking you to.

There are many opportunities to lead from where you sit in an organization. For example the Harvard Business Review calls out some additional "extras" that managers can employ in order to gain These extras include contribute to projects you are not responsible for, seek ways to reward teams in small ways such as a night out for a successful project completion, Ewing first in identifying a problem and rallying others in the solution, and showing strong commitment and focus to seeing something thru to completion.

In a recent blob, Harvard Business Review surveyed 32,000 global workers and suggests to future leaders to build competencies in empathy and vulnerability in order to strengthen leadership skills (Gerbera, 2013). Traditional managers of the past now have a new workforce that is not inspired or motivated by traditional management viewpoints of working in cubicles and useless meetings. Showing empathy is to be understanding and sensitive to there, while being vulnerable is asking for help when you don't have all the answers.

Both of these traits can help managers develop in strengthening their abilities to lead people. People want to be inspired to do good work and to also feel satisfaction in the Jobs they do. People do not want to be managed, they want to be led and be part of something bigger than themselves. Summary If today's modern workforce needs to be "adaptable, flexible, autonomous, and selfsameness" (Wheaton, p. 444) then managers must have both solid management kills and also be able to show leadership capabilities.

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