Management vs. Leadership
MANAGEMENT VS. LEADERSHIP
Management and leadership have many similarities, yet there are many differences that separate a manager from a leader. Merriam-Webster defines leadership simply as "the office or position of a leader," "the capacity to lead," or "the act or an instance of leading." They also define manager as "a person who conducts business or household affairs," "a person whose work or profession is management," or "a person who directs a team " However, Merriam and Webster do not define "leadership" as it should be. A leader must ensure a healthy organizational structure, as does a manager, but there is more to being a leader than conducting business or household affairs. Although both roles require similar skills necessary to be effective, one attribute definitely separates a leader from a manager: passion. A good leader can be defined in terms of transformational leadership. According to Loperena, transformational leadership is defined in terms of the leader's effect on followers. The followers feel trust, admiration, loyalty, and respect toward the leader and they are motivated to exceed expectations (Team Leadership, 2004, p36). A leader has followers that truly believe in the missions or goals bestowed upon them. The leader, as does his/her followers, has a passion for the common goal they stand for. Not only does a leader have to be effective, he must be inspirational to his followers, motivating them to strive toward the organization's goal at their fullest potential. A leader strives for change and inspires others to promote development and more efficient means of success. A leader must show that his compassion for the people and "the cause" is true; this is the key to acquiring trust and high moral. A good manager can be effective and produce results, but he/she still lacks those qualities that would make him/her a true leader. A manager can go to work everyday wanting to do a good job, but not necessarily have deep
Management and leadership have many similarities, yet there are many differences that separate a manager from a leader. Merriam-Webster defines leadership simply as "the office or position of a leader," "the capacity to lead," or "the act or an instance of leading." They also define manager as "a person who conducts business or household affairs," "a person whose work or profession is management," or "a person who directs a team " However, Merriam and Webster do not define "leadership" as it should be. A leader must ensure a healthy organizational structure, as does a manager, but there is more to being a leader than conducting business or household affairs. Although both roles require similar skills necessary to be effective, one attribute definitely separates a leader from a manager: passion. A good leader can be defined in terms of transformational leadership. According to Loperena, transformational leadership is defined in terms of the leader's effect on followers. The followers feel trust, admiration, loyalty, and respect toward the leader and they are motivated to exceed expectations (Team Leadership, 2004, p36). A leader has followers that truly believe in the missions or goals bestowed upon them. The leader, as does his/her followers, has a passion for the common goal they stand for. Not only does a leader have to be effective, he must be inspirational to his followers, motivating them to strive toward the organization's goal at their fullest potential. A leader strives for change and inspires others to promote development and more efficient means of success. A leader must show that his compassion for the people and "the cause" is true; this is the key to acquiring trust and high moral. A good manager can be effective and produce results, but he/she still lacks those qualities that would make him/her a true leader. A manager can go to work everyday wanting to do a good job, but not necessarily have deep
References: Loperena, M. Ed.D. 2004. Team Leadership Behaviors, Roles, and Characteristics in effective teams. The George Washington University. Retrieved August 29, 2006 from http://proquest.umi.com Definition of leadership, management. Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. 2006 Retrieved October 23, 2006 from www.m-w.com