Leadership and Management

1859 Words4 Pages

In a firm, management and leadership are important and needed.

Leadership and management are similar. Actually, leadership and

management are totally different. The leadership would influence the

firm. The leader would have difference leadership styles to lead the

subordinate. The manager has different functions, attributes and

skills. Different subordinate needs to have different leadership

style. Finally, difference powers would have difference use on

leadership influence.

MANAGEMENT DEFINED

Management can be defined as the process of planning organising,

directing, and controlling organisational resources in the pursuit of

organisational goals.

LEADERSHIP DEFINED

Leadership is frequently defined as a social influence relationship

between two or more persons who depend on each other to attain certain

mutual goals in a group situation.

STYLES OF LEADERSHIP

An autocratic leadership style is one where the manager sets

objectives, allocates tasks, and insists on obedience. Therefore the

group becomes dependent on him or her. The result of this style is the

members of the group are often dissatisfied with the leader. This

results in little cohesion, the need for high levels of supervision,

and poor levels of motivation amongst employees.

A democratic leadership style encourages participation in decision

making. Democratic leadership styles can be persuasive or

consultative.

Persuasive – this is where a leader has already made a decision, but

takes the time to persuade others that it is a good idea.

Consultative – this is where a leader consults others about their

views before making a decision. The decision will take into account

these views.

A laissez-faire type of leadership style allows employees to carry out

activities freely within broad limits. The result is a relaxed

atmosphere, but one where there are dew guidelines and directions.

This can sometimes result in poor productivity and lack of motivation

as employees have little incentive to work hard.

Autocratic leaders centralize power and decision making in themselves.

They structure the complete work situation for their employees, who

are expected to do what they are told and not think for themselves.

The leaders take full authority and assume full responsibility.

Autocratic leadership typically is negative, based on threats and

punishment, but it can appear to be positive, as demonstrated by the

benevolent autocrat who chooses to give some rewards to employees.

Consultative leaders approach one or more employees and ask them for

inputs prior to making a decision. These leaders may then choose to

use or ignore the information and advice received, however. If the

inputs are seen as used, employees are likely to feel as though they

had a positive impact; if the inputs are consistently rejected,

employees are likely to feel that their time has been wasted.

Participative leaders clearly decentralize authority. Participative

decisions are not unilateral, as with the autocrat, because they use

Open Document