Firstly which of the following words would you associate with leadership and which ones with management?
giving responsibility to others
- reporting
- monitoring
- team-building
- having courage
- budgeting
- determining direction
- developing strategy
- measuring
- applying rules and policies
- discipline
- inspiring others
You may have come up with a list that looks like:
Words associated with management:
- reporting
- monitoring
- budgeting
- measuring
- applying rules and policies
- discipline
Words associated with leadership:
- team-building
- having courage
- giving responsibility to others
- determining direction
- development
- inspiring others
Management is concerned with the here and now day to day operational management of a businesses or organisation. It is concerned with people and processes and getting things done efficiently and effectively in order to meet the current requirements of customers, clients and stakeholders. Words such as reporting, monitoring, budgeting, measuring, typify management activities.
Leadership however is about today’s business partly and particularly about tomorrow’s business and how we need or decide to change to meet the changing needs of our business, marketplace, customers and employees.
It may be forced on us by circumstances and we have to react. Better still we may decide to think proactively and act effectively before the need becomes too pressing. If we judge our strategies, plans and actions appropriately then our people and our customers will see and support the sense of the changes and we will stay ahead of our competition.
As well as making good decisions this requires us to communicate, consult with and involve our people in the development of these changes to ensure their understanding and commitment.
Leadership therefore requires us to take risks, think creatively and courageously, be decisive, create and communicate the vision picture of where we are going and how we are going to get there. Words used such as: having courage, giving responsibility to others, determining direction, inspiring others, typically describe leadership activities.
This approach and the skills required are quite different from the skills of day to day management. Managers who are required to graduate into more leadership roles need appropriate leadership development and support to enable them to make this transition successfully.