The Analysis of Leadership Vs. Management

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The Analysis of Leadership Vs. Management

What makes a leader or a manager? Does being tough or demanding make

one a successful leader and manager? Being tough and demanding seems

to work for the CEO Jeff Immelt of GE. He is seen as a tough leader

who manages his staff well. He is well known for promoting his staff

to high managerial positions today and removing them tomorrow simply

because they don’t meet his standards (Colvin, 2005). Many would say

he is demanding and we would agree with that too. However, the fact is

Jeff Immelt is leading and managing his managers at the same. Does

this mean that leadership and Management are the same?

Leadership and management can be mistaken to be the same, as they are

inter-related. However, they are two distinctive concepts. Leadership

has more to do with conceptualization and vision while management is

associated more with carrying out the tasks and plans. Both are

essential for success in a rapidly changing and challenging business

environment. The challenge is to be able to lead and manage at the

same time (Kotter, 1990).

2. ACADEMIC DEFINITIONS

2.1 Management

Management is the process of attaining organisational goals in an

effective and efficient manner through planning, organising,

controlling and directing organisational resources (Mullins, 2005).

2.2 Leadership

Leadership is the process of exercising the influence on followers in

order to attain group, organisational and social goals (Robbins et al.

2003).

3. RELATIONSHIP

According to Mullins (2005), management is seen as relating to people

within an organisation and solving short-term problems while

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