Differences Between Management And Leadership
Erika L. Thomas
MGT. 360 Leadership for Organizations
Patrick Mellon
Management and leadership are often used in the same context, yet they do not mean the
same thing. Managers think incrementally, while leaders think radically. The difference
in the perspectives is that leaders tend to lead with emotion and concern for their
subordinates. Managers tend to follow guidelines and company policies. Managers also
use management functions to achieve their desired goals. The term manager exemplifies the more structured, controlled, analytical, orderly, and rule-oriented person. The leader exemplifies a more experimental, visionary, unstructured, flexible and risk taking person. Managers and leaders think differently internally, therefore the outcome is different externally.
I think the primary difference between leadership skills and management skills, are quite simple. A leader has the skill to remove obstacles for growth, development and performance within a team. Also he or she has the skills to get people to want to do their jobs. He or she generally has the skills to motivate people to want to reach a goal and hold them together until they can reach that goal. The most important skill a leader must posses, would be being able to set direction or vision for their organization.
Management has the skills to control or direct people/resources in a group according to principles or values that have already been established by leadership. They have the skills to recognize our natural talent, and bring this out. They also have the skill to put their self in the shoes of those they manage. This will help them understand what employees are like a ...