Management And Leadership

Management and Leadership

Management and leadership, two words that are considered synonymous and are often used in the same context, yet they do not mean the same thing and they describe two different concepts. According to the dictionary, management is 1) The act, manner or practice of managing; handling, supervision, or control; 2) The person or persons who control or direct a business or other enterprise; 3) Skill in managing; executive ability; where as leadership is 1) The position or office of a leader; 2) Capacity or ability to lead; 3) A group of leaders; 4) Guidance; direction. In many organizations, management is a job description; leadership is a positive trait. Managers tend to think incrementally, while leaders think radically. This difference in perspectives is that leaders tend to lead with emotion and concern for their subordinates; managers tend to follow guidelines and company policies while utilizing management functions to achieve their desired goals.

The purpose of this paper is to distinguish between the two, look at the responsibilities that come with leadership and make suggestions for creating and maintaining a healthy organizational culture.

In business, management can be defined as (1) the pursuit of organizational goals efficiently and effectively by (2) integrating the work of people through (3) planning, organizing, leading and controlling the organization's resources. Management is a theory and a way of doing business. It is a process that is exercised in order for an organization to be successful. This process is generally broken down into four established functions: planning, organizing, leading, and controlling. Management is the function that determines how the organizations human, financi...

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...it does not mean that they are friendly with them. In order to keep this mystique of leadership, they often retain a degree of separation and aloofness. This is not to imply that managers do not pay attention to tasks; rather they are in fact highly achievement-focused. What managers do realize however is the importance of directing others to work towards and achieve the organizations goals.

1. The American Heritage College Dictionary, Third edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2000

2. Kinicki, Angelo, Williams, Brian Management, a practical introduction, Second Edition. New York, New York, McGraw-Hill 2006/2003

3. Maccoby, M. (2000). Understanding the Difference between Management and Leadership. Research Technology Management,

4. Kinicki, Angelo, Williams, Brian Management, a practical introduction, Second Edition. New York, New York, McGraw-Hill 2006/2003