MANAGERS VS LEADERS:Characteristics, Effective Leadership, Respect for Diversity

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Leadership & Team Management MGMT 623

Lesson 05

MANAGERS VS LEADERS

Continuing from previous lecture, we will continue focus on the important difference between mangers

and Leaders. As said earlier, leaders are manger too but not necessary that all managers may be leaders.

Difference between Leaders and Managers

Arguments about the difference between leadership and management are presented. Leaders are

considered to be visionary and future-oriented, whereas managers focus on day-to-day routine

activities. The section concludes that effective managers often perform many of the duties and

activities ascribed to leaders thereby making the distinction between the two concepts somewhat

unnecessary

Leaders

Managers

Vision oriented: the leaders are vision

Process oriented: managers always think

oriented and think about future.

about process that how the organization

works in efficient manner.

Protects staff: leaders always protect their

Protects self: Managers always protect

staff and motivate them towards

himself.

achievement of organizational goals.

Approaches decisions actively: the

Approaches

decisions

cautiously:

leaders are decision makers and do not

Managers always depends on his superiors

hesitate to take decisions in any respect.

and others to take decisions.

Staff oriented: leaders are staff oriented.

Career oriented: managers always think

about his career that how he/she moves up

or develop his/her career.

Listens selectively: managers always listen

Listens actively: leaders always involve

and involve selective staff/employees

his staff in decision making and listen

during decision making.

every body and get the suggestions from

employees seriously.

Avoids conflict: Managers always avoids

Deals with conflict: leader always deal

being involved in conflicts.

with conflict as they are critical analyst in

the positive way.

Trusted: leaders always trust on his

Unclear regarding trust: he is unclear

employees/staff and vice versa.

regarding trust.

These obvious differences between leaders and managers also affect the processes in the organizations.

Difference between leadership and management:

Leadership

Management

Set day-day direction: Mangers sets day

Set overall & future direction: they set

by day direction to organization as per

the overall organization direction and give

circumstances.

the vision.

Focuses on results: A leader always

Focuses on processes: Managers always

focuses on out put.

focuses on processes that how to gets the

maximum out put by utilization of

minimum resources through reducing in

processes of the organization.

Mostly external: leaders mostly keep the

Mostly internal: Managers always keep

close eyes on external environment.

the close eyes on internal environment.

Leadership & Team Management MGMT 623

Concern=effectiveness: his concern on

Concern=efficiency:

his concern on

effectiveness

efficiency

Stakeholder focused: Leaders focused on

Personnel focused: Here the focus is

stake holder's interest and strive for the

personal and not on the stakeholders.

satisfactions of stakeholders.

Customer needs/capacities: thinks about

Worker needs/capacities: thinks about

customers demand

organization capacity for customers

demand

Embodies mission/vision: sets the mission

Embodies goals/objectives: sets the goals

and vision

and objectives to achieve the mission.

Gets more resources: gets more recourse

Manages resources: a manager always

to accomplish the mission. They always

manages the resources.

try to look for other opportunities.

Applies technologies: managers always

Secures technologies: they protect the

apply technologies available to them and

technologies. Always keep their eyes open

will not strive for change.

and try to secure new technologies

essential to create competitive advantages.

Seeks to create needed change: they

Seek

stability/Manage

change:

management will try to manage the change

always seek to create the needed change

and prefer to maintain the stability in the

and believe on "Change as the environment

organization.

change".

Manage teamwork: Management focus is

Create teams' esp. top teams: Leadership

to get things done from people/team and

is always focused on creating a team

they will try for this.

especially top performing team. Leader

role is act as a coach and convert individual

working into teams.

So, after the detail discussion on difference between leadership and management, we can conclude that

in Management we have an authority relationship while leadership is a multidirectional influence

relationship.

"Jack Welch (Former CEO of GE) says; "...dangerous to call someone a manager" because..

"A manager..." Controls rather than facilitates, Complicates rather than simplifies, Acts more like a

governor than an accelerator

Characteristics:

1. Personal Characteristics:

A managerial culture emphasizes rationality and control, whether his or her energies are directed

towards goals, resources, organization structure. The manager ask, "What problems need to be

solved, and what are the best ways to achieve results, so people will continue to contribute to this

organization. Management is keeping themselves away from emotions and focus mainly on

organization, compliances. They seem to know the procedure and policies required to accomplish

the organization routine tasks. From this prospective leadership is more practical and emotionally

connected with employees and also with environment. Leadership is more open minded and listen

different ideas, ready for change and not only focusing present objectives of the organization but

also keep their focus on future too. They are honest with themselves, with followers and with others

too. With this honesty and concern with the welfare of others they build trust and that is very

essential for leadership process.

Leadership & Team Management MGMT 623

2. Relationships:

Leadership always focuses on people, inspire them and develop them to achieve the organizational

mission. They use personality powers to influence others and act as coach and facilitators for

followers. With their charismatic personality leaders create a dynamic environment within the

organization. They also encourage the creativity and focuses on the dynamic environment changes.

While management focuses on objective and are mainly concern with outputs, reports and

mechanics of the organizations. To influence others, management depends on the position powers

and use control rather than motivation. Risk taking is not encouraged and they suppress creativity in

the organization.

3. Providing Direction:

Leadership always focuses on vision. Leadership reshapes the organizational culture, motivates the

employees, and believes on long term focus. Whether management depends on detailed

plan/schedule, allocation of resources, improve the efficiency and focuses ob short term goals.

4. Grouping

Leadership always creates the culture of communication and listen each others, help others and

facilitate others. They also reduce the boundaries and create the teamwork in organization. Whereas

management believe in line and staff management, believe on organization, staff and structure,

creates boundaries and focuses on direct and control. Provide solution and guidelines in the

organization.

5. Outcomes

Leadership creates the culture of change and tries to implement change in response to the changing

environment for greatest outcome. Leadership challenges the status quo and adopts the change.

Believe on effectiveness and efficiency. While management are concern about stability, are more

predictable and focus on short term expectations. Believe on day to day outcome and not taking any

risk.

What "Followers" Expect

Traits desired in a leader are like Integrity, Consistency, Listen and discern needs, Open-minded,

Honest w/themselves; Inspire trust, Calm, Stays focused while handling a volatile situation etc.

Effective Leadership:

Trust

Trust among leader and followers is the key to success of this leadership process. A trust between the

leader and followers is very essential. When trust exists, individuals are more likely to enter into the

relationships necessary for goal attainment.

Trust: The Foundation of Leadership

Leader's integrity, competency, consistency, loyalty and openness are the key ingredients to build trust.

A Nurturing Climate

All members of the organization must be able to work in a climate that is free of fear, one that fosters

creativity and rewarding the achievements. This nurturing climate is also essential for proper leadership

process and for the success of a team/group or organization and for the effectiveness of a leader..

Freedom of Expression

All employees must be able to talk with one another, share ideas, critique proposals, view issues

critically, and obtain information that assists them in being effective and creative. This will only be

achieved through creation of participative culture in the organization and freedom to express on

procedures, policies etc. Leader needs to create culture that allows freedom of expression.

Leadership & Team Management MGMT 623

Respect for Diversity

In this competitive environment of business, organization are dealing with diversify culture.

Organizations are trying to capitalize this diversity in the organization. Diversity of workforce has huge

benefit and yes some cost too. In order to make a commitment to the attainment of a particular goal by

capitalizing diversity in the organization/team, they need to respect the diversity and let all people

coming from different background to feel valued, respected, and appreciated.

Free and Open for Creativity

A leader must create an environment where every one can share his/her ideas and create the awareness

that individuals must feel free to seek new approaches, take independent decision and take risks. This

will be only done through a congenial environment in the organization, where every one feels free to

share his/her idea and are open for creativity.

Change Agent

The leader may act as a change agent, which is an individual who acts as a catalyst and leads the change

process. Change is the true reality of the organization. In this competitive business environment,

without responding the change no one can survive. "Change as the environment change".

What Followers Want from leader and from their colleagues?

Leaders to be

Colleagues to be

Honest

Forward-Thinking

Cooperative

Inspiring

Dependable

Competent

Dependable

For proper leadership process, all three components of this process, the leader, followers and the

situation are very important.

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