HCS 514: Difference Between Management And Leadership

E-mail to Coworker

Peggy Lee

HCS/514

September 22, 2014

Kerubo (Happiness) Kinaro

E-mail to Coworker To: [e-mail] Cc: [e-mail]

Subject: Difference between management and leadership

Hello Carly,

I enjoyed our discussion about the leadership program training offered here at the Community Memorial Home Health Agency for new nurses’. Your feedback was very helpful. Our shift ended before I could respond to your question: What is the difference between management and leadership?

Carly, I always thought management and leadership were interchangeable. When I started composing my response to your question, I could not define the terms or provide any examples. I decided to do some research on management and leadership.

Coulter and Robbins (2012) defines as the process of coordinating and overseeing the work activities performed by others who are responsible for completing these activities. Management provides the necessary inputs (resources) in an order to obtain the desired outputs (products or services) needed to achieve the desired goals.

There are several levels of management: top management, middle management and
first-line management. In our agency, Jill, nurse practitioner is the top manager. She is responsible for the entire organization. She makes all the decisions, plans, and establishes the organizational goals. She is in control; however, John, a licensed physical therapist, usually, assist her with her responsibilities. John is the middle manager. He also supervises the head nurse, Joan, who works directly with you and I and the other members of our group. Joan is our first-line manager. She ensures that the work activities are completed efficiently and effectively, and the organizational goals are achieved.

Like management, leadership is also a process. Leadership is the process of motivating and guiding a workgroup to complete work activities effectively and efficiently. Leadership is a function of management. It influences others to achieve the organizational goals. Leadership is described as “a set of characteristics that emerge from individuals who can get things done within an organization” Liebler & McConnell, 2012 p.408).

There are several styles of leadership: autocratic “close supervision, bureaucratic rules “by the book”, participative emphasizes group contributions, laissez-faire “free rein”, and paternalistic treat like children. Managers tend to use different styles of leadership based on the level of management. Some managers use a mixer of these leadership styles.
Characteristics of a leader, include, but not limited to: “a strong self-image, a vision of the future, a firm belief in the goals of the organization, the ability to influence the behavior of subordinates, and the ability to relate to and influence individuals in parallel or superior positions of authority” (Liebler & McConnell, 2012, p 408).

A leader is a person who can organize tasks and make things happen.
He or she uses the unique interests and needs of every member of the work group to inspire goal-directed behavior that is consistent and efficient. To influence and induce others to strive toward a goal, a leader must have a deep vision of that goal and the ability to communicate the goal effectively to the group. The knowledge, insight, and skill of the leader are greater than those of other members of the group. A leader achieves the work by coordinating the work of the group. He or she is enthusiastic and self-confident and inspires confidence through both emotional and knowledge ties with his or her group. One of the major factors that characterize a successful leader is the willing acceptance of that leadership by his or her
group.

The key difference between management and leadership is that management wants to control things by minimizing distractions and impacts of change; whereas, leadership is interested in the driving forces, visions and processes that causes full scale transformation. (Kotter, 2012).
Carly, I want to thank you for asking me what the difference was between management. Now, that I understand what the differences are, I can see why everyone in our group enjoys working with Joan. She is our first-line manager and our leader.

Sincerely,

Peggy Lee Registered Nurse Community Memorial Home Health Agency E-mail: [e-mail]

Phone: [phone]

References

Coulter, M. & Robbins, S.P. (2012). Management. (11th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice
Hall.
Kotter, J. (2012). The key difference between management and leadership. Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com

Liebler, J.G. & McConnell C.R. (2012). Management Principles for Health Professionals. (6th ed.). Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett.