Choosing Between Management and Leadership: Some Things Remain Vital

By now it has become obvious to most practitioners that leadership has emerged into a more prestigious, and therefore more preferred word, than management. And, indeed, there are significant differences between these two phenomena. I will be the first to admit that. Although both, leadership and management involve supervision, the level at which this happens and the way it is implemented determine an important difference between these two positions. Many theorists will say that leadership deals with the higher level: visionary and strategic issues, while management handles the day-to-day implementation of work issues. That, and all other perspectives out there, are probably acceptable enough.

However, management and leadership do not exclude each other by any means. For while there is some leadership required from every manager, there is also some management required from every leader.

What are some of the things that definitely overlap the competence of managers and leaders alike? Among the many possible answers, here are a few:

* People skills: A leader and a manager both have to be able to motivate workers in various ways. Although the manager may have to deal more closely with front-line workers, and the leader with higher echelons, they both have the basic task to ensure adequate performance and motivation at the levels they oversee. And performance and motivation can only be successfully implemented if the right people are hired in the first place: if the people are subsequently guided and provided with the right skills to do the job, and if, last but not least, the right attitude is in place. Communication is a winner here. And knowledge about what does it for whom. Because that varies: what stimulates one person may demotivate another. Rewards are therefore delicate issues to consider.

* Process skills: Although these may be more important for a manager to know, it helps if a leader is at least aware of the organization’s product lines, capacities, updates, and needs for change. A leader can be charismatic, and therefore excellent in getting others to perform well, but it always adds an extra dimension to workers’ respect levels if they know that their leader knows what he or she is talking about.

* Planning skills: Here, too, the degree and level of planning may vary depending on the level of leading involved, but it remains a fact that every task that requires supervision and guidance also requires a plan. Sometimes this will be a short-term plan (mostly for managers), and sometimes a long-term plan (mostly for leaders). But in both cases the roadmap construction and the ability to involve as many workers and communicate the plans as early and as regularly as possible determines the difference between success and failure.

* Performance: this pertains to a wide range of activities -- from the reliability in the leader or manager’s attitude, to his or her ethical standards, and the way others perceive him or her. It does a person in a supervisory position well if the workers know that he or she is not averse to roll up the sleeves when push comes to shove. A leader or manager who is infamous for demanding high performance from his or her subordinates, yet stays away regularly without a good reason, will soon lose the loyalty of these followers. And loyalty may be needed sooner than you think!

* Perception: If a leader or manager does not realize the importance of the fact that workers from different backgrounds and cultures perceive things differently, and that clarity, continuous and good communication, along with accessibility can be lifesavers; it may be the highest time for some stiff management training. Not next year, next month, next week, or even tomorrow: Today!

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