Leadership is a process, in which a person guides a group of people to achieve certain goals and objectives through persuasion. A leader possesses unique qualities and position, which give the capacity to guide people as desired .A good leader will guide by example and help mold people into better workers in an organization. Leaders can get authority to lead people formally or informally. Formal leaders get authority through elections.
Informal leaders act as symbols of change for their followers. Good leaders achieve the goals of their group regardless of the circumstances. They are committed to the groups’ objectives and well-being (Hoyle, 1995). Leaders enjoy the support and trust of their group. They can determine the best way to move forward depending on the situation. Some leaders enjoy great positions of authority in society because they control essential resources.
These leaders do not consider their followers feelings but use the resources they hold to control people. Other leaders are democratic and allow their followers to decide the best way to achieve set goals. I believe that, highly successful leaders can shift their leadership styles depending on the situation. These traits help them achieve set goals and objectives, often using the least amount of time and effort.
Though leaders and managers perform almost similar roles, leadership and management are very different. Managers must follow set rules and regulations when directing people and resources to achieve the objectives of an organization. They have to follow established systems and structures for decision-making. The systems give them authority and enable them control their subordinates. They have to follow established management principles. Managers must undergo training to equip them with the necessary skills for management.
Leaders have to develop their own standards and principles when dealing with their followers. They do not have any established systems and structures for guidance. They must consider the feelings and well-being of the group they are leading and gain trust in the group through reliability, integrity, and confidence. With adequate support, they are able to guide the group towards attainment of set objectives and goals.
To successfully lead people in specialized professions, managers must possess certain knowledge and skills. Without them, they cannot direct the resources of an organization towards its unique objectives. Technical skills allow managers assist a group of people accomplish the goals of an organization through teamwork.
Leaders are not required to possess technical knowledge and skills. They cannot guide groups working in specialized organizations towards certain goals, as they are unable to conceptualize the ideas and skills necessary to guide skilled personnel complete certain tasks, without having the expertise required.
To become a leader, a person must possess unique character traits. The traits help the leader gain support and trust. People have different character traits allowing them to lead using different styles. Managers are not required to possess unique character traits to manage people.
Though necessary, they are not obliged to gain trust and support from their followers. They have other methods of controlling people to achieve the necessary results. Managers have the power and authority required to direct their subordinates at all times but leaders must find a way to persuade, influence, and unite people behind a common objective.
Reference
Hoyle, J. (1995). Leadership and Futuring: Making Visions Happen. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press, Inc.