Management vs. Leadership
What is the difference between management and leadership? I have seen a wide range of answers for that questions, including:
“The biggest difference between managers and leaders is the way they motivate the people who work or follow them. Managers have subordinates while leaders have followers.”
“Leadership is just one of the many assets a successful manager must possess.”
I do not agree with either of those arguments, for the fact that they are narrow minded. In my opinion, if we take into consideration the bigger picture, management is about being efficient while leadership is about being effective.
Management is doing the things right, while leadership is doing the right things. Leaders must have a vision, while managers must ensure that people are working efficiently to achieve that vision.
Do you agree? What is your answer for the question above?
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Hi Daniel,
I disagree with all three definitions.
The first definition creates an artificial distinction that ignores the notion that one can be both a manager and a leader. These are not mutually exclusive roles.
The second definition suffers from the implied assertion that leadership is a subset of management. Leadership and management are two different qualities, each with requisite skills that overlap but are not necessarily wholly common to one or the other.
The last definition is just basically wrong. (Nothing personal, but it is what it is.) Let me prove this statement with a simple example. Adolf Hilter was a strong leader. Did he do the right things? Obviously, we can see doing the right things has nothing to do with leadership skill. It is fairly easy to identify similar negative examples for the statement about management.
My crude and unprepared answer to your question would be that leadership is about helping people go somewhere they might not have otherwise gone, whereas management is about coordinating and controlling resources in service of an objective. These two overlap to the extent that sometimes people are resources. The most effective managers and leaders are those who possess at least some skills in the complimentary discipline.
James, I still think my definition could be right, and actually it looks like it is similar to the one you offered.
“Leadership is about being effective, doing the right things”
That means being effecting and doing the right things to achieve your vision, whichever that vision might be.
Now if the leader chooses an ethically correct vision or one that aims to destroy completely people that is an another issue.
So Hitler did the right things to achieve his vision. Actually he went very far with his vision due to doing the right things. The fact that his vision was something crazy is another problem.
What you say? Thanks for commenting!
Hi Daniel,
As to adequately answer is somewhat involved, I have posted a longer explaination on my blog at http://www.innovatingtowin.com/innovating_to_win/2007/05/leadership_mana.html. I hope this helps better frame where we diverging on this topic. Thanks for a simulating post.