Three Difference Between Leadership and Management

Perhaps you are interested to know the difference between leadership and management. Is it possible for professionals to develop both qualities? Is there a need to learn it with time?

What are Leadership and Management?

‘Manager’ and ‘Leader’ are terms that are used often interchangeably in business. The manager is appointed in the organization and given the responsibility to perform crucial management functions like organizing, planning, controlling, and leading.

They become leaders if they can carry out management leadership responsibilities. It includes motivating employees, providing guidance, inspiration and communication to enhance overall productivity level.

But not all managers can be termed to be leaders as some display poor leadership qualities. Employees may follow orders given by their managers simply due to obligation and not necessarily by leader inspiration or influence.

Know the three Difference Between Leadership and Management

It is viable for the person to be a leader as well as a manager. However, a phenomenal leader might not be a good manager and vice-versa. So what are the differences noticed between them?

1. A good leader tends to ask lots of questions like ‘Why’ and ‘What’. On the other hand, the manager poses questions like ‘When’ and ‘How’.

The leader might question as well as challenge the authority to modify or possibly reverse some decisions. This is simply to retain their power as a leader and might not be in the best interest of the team. Good leadership demands lots of properly taken judgment, especially when pointing out some concerns with the management and taking a stand.

The leader should be the person to question the company of ‘what has been learned, as the company experiences a rough patch. But managers do not analyze or evaluate failures. They simply ask questions like ‘When’ and ‘How’ just to execute the plans properly. They accept the given status quo as it is, not trying to attempt to introduce any change in any manner.

2. The manager organizes while the leader innovates or invents.

The leader manages to come up with new ideas based on the present situation. He/she kickstarts organizational transition or shift to the forward-thinking phase. Moreover, the leader will develop new strategies and techniques for the organization. He/she can be expected to have lots of knowledge on different skill sets, advancements, and current trends including clarity of vision and purpose.

The manager, on the other hand, maintains only what has been established already. The manager controls the workflow and employees while managing the bottom line, thus preventing chaos. He/she establishes proper yardsticks, targets, interprets, appraises and analyses performance. They get to know the team better and understand which person will be ideal to fit a specific task.

3. The leader inspires trust while the manager tends to rely more on control.

The leader can be termed to be a person who motivates the employees all the time to put in their best efforts. He/she is also knowledgeable enough to set the right tempo and pace for the entire group. However, managers need to control their employees as per their job description, thus trying to make the most of the assets. They are to understand better their subordinates to get the job done properly, quickly, and effectively.

Hence, for any organization to achieve success, it is important to have both leaders and managers. If both qualities are present in a person, then it can be like winning a jackpot. These are rare qualities for the same person to have both qualities. Hence, getting to know the difference between leadership and management will enable the organization to take the right steps.