Leadership vs. Management, Do we need both?

What is the difference between leadership and management and does it really matter?

The answer is yes it does!

In today’s dynamic business environments it’s important for businesses to be able to differentiate between the two and to ensure that responsibility for each of the roles is assigned.

"There is a profound difference between management and leadership, and both are important. To manage means to bring about, to accomplish, to have charge of or responsibility for, to conduct. Leading is influencing, guiding in a direction, course, action, opinion. The distinction is crucial" – Warren Bennis

Put plainly:

Management controls or directs people/resources in a group according to principles or values that have already been established.
Leadership is setting a new direction or vision for a group that they follow.

In today’s dynamic business environments it is essential that organisations are driven by a leader in order to remain continually innovative and to sustain competitive advantages in their market place.

Two look at the distinction between the two in more depth I like the way Warren Bennis outlines his view of the differences in his book “On Becoming A Leader”. The manager administers; the leader innovates.

•The manager is a copy; the leader is an original.

•The manager maintains; the leader develops.

•The manager focuses on systems and structure; the leader focuses on people.

•The manager relies on control; the leader inspires trust.

•The manager accepts reality; the leader investigates it.

•The manager has a short-range view; the leader has a long-range perspective.

•The manager asks how and when; the leader asks what and why.

•The manager has his or her eye always on the bottom line; the leader has his or her eye on the horizon.

•The manager imitates; the leader originates.

•The manager accepts the status quo; the leader challenges it.

•The manager is the classic good soldier; the leader is his or her own person.

•The manager does things right; the leader does the right thing.

Another strongly influential thinker on the topic of leadership and management is John Kotter who describes them as two distinctive actions, each one being necessary and complementing the other.

It’s undoubtedly something which warrants the attention of business owners and managers.

Here are some basic skills that a good leader should possess…

Be a Good Listener
Lead By Example
Endeavour to Inspire
Facilitate Creativity
Continually Learn
Seek to Motivate
Articulate your Ideas and Share your Experiences
Learn from your own Mistakes
Get to Know your People
See the your Business as a Whole
Encourage Teamwork!

Do not assume you automatically have the necessary leadership skills. They are skills which you need to gradually develop as your business grows and develops.