Leadership and management are two of the most important processes for achieving set goals and objectives when working through people. The two processes ensure that an individual is able to effectively and efficiently utilize human resources in various contexts to achieve increased productivity. A person possessing good leadership and management Abilities is able to increase the likelihood of success in the tasks being carried out in the organization. This paper will set out to highlight the similarities and differences between leadership and management.
There are a number of notable similarities between leadership and management. A major similarity is that both processes utilize human resources to accomplish set objectives. In leadership, the leader uses his charisma and influence to elicit the help and support of the followers to achieve goals. In management, the manager marshals the human resources of the organization to complete tasks. In addition to this, both management and leadership aim to produce the best results in the task being undertaken.
By using of management functions such as controlling, the manager takes care to ensure that all activities go according to plan and the best results for the organization are achieved. The leader promotes innovation and looks for better ways to deliver the best outcomes in any task undertaken. He motivates and inspires the followers to produce the best results in the activities engaged in.
In spite of these similarities, some major differences are evident between leadership and management. A significant difference is in the primary focus of the two processes. The primary focus of management is the administrative aspects of the organization as can be seen from the core functions of management, which include planning, organizing, leading, and controlling. The focus of leadership is to influence the team members in order to motivate them to achieve the set goals of the organization.
Another difference is in the manner in which leaders and managers derive their power. The manager’s power comes from the position of authority given to him by the organization. The human resources that work for the manager are his subordinates and they have to follow the manager’s instructions. On the other hand, the leader’s power comes from his charisma and the influence he has over the people he is guiding. The leader has followers as opposed to subordinates and they generally willingly follow him since he inspires their trust.
The approach to risk differs significantly between management and leadership. In leadership, risk taking is prevalent since the leader seeks to promote innovation and initiate change in the organization. Management seeks to minimize risk since the desire is to maintain the status quo and keep utilizing methods that have been proven efficient in the past.
This paper set out to provide a concise description of the differences and similarities between leadership and management. It began by highlighting the importance of both processes when making use of people to accomplish tasks. It then discussed the major similarities, including the use of people to accomplish tasks and the aim to achieve good results.
The paper noted major differences, including the manner in which leaders and managers derive their power and the approaches to risk. From the discussions provided in this paper, it is evident that leadership and management each play an important role in the organization. The two processes should therefore be used in a complimentary fashion to ensure that the organization benefits optimally.