Welcome to another week of the Transformation Leadership Series. Today we’ll look at differences between management and leadership. Leaders are not necessarily leaders and leaders are not necessarily managers. There are folks who can fit into both genres but this is seldom the case when one reads the research literature on the subject.
The distinction between management and leadership is not either-or; rather, it’s a balance. While powerful leaders are more than just excellent managers, an essential aspect of their credibility stems from their management expertise. As you read this table, keep in mind that the distinction between management and leadership is not a dichotomy, but rather a blend or balance. Both are needed in today’s knowledge-based organizations—The Encyclopedia of Leadership: A Practical Guide to Popular Leadership Theories and Techniques © 2001.
|
|
MANAGER |
LEADER |
|
1 |
success based on predictability |
success based on innovation and adaptation |
|
2 |
goals |
vision and values |
|
3 |
plans |
energy |
|
4 |
defines vision and purpose statements |
lives vision and purpose |
|
5 |
defines value statements |
model values |
|
6 |
does things right |
does the right things |
|
7 |
top-down strategy |
leadership at all levels; everyone strategic |
|
8 |
measurement of activities |
measurement of results |
|
9 |
short-term results emphasized |
long-term results, big picture emphasized |
|
10 |
linear, rational, analytical |
systems, aligning the whole, intuitive |
|
11 |
“head stuff” (e.g., behavior, compliance) |
“heart stuff” (e.g., morale, commitment) |
|
12 |
controls |
inspires, creates new ways, coaches, mentors |
|
13 |
one best style (plan, organize, delegate, control) |
multiple, situational leadership roles and styles |
|
14 |
techniques |
principles |
|
15 |
focus on content |
sets context, pays attention to process |
|
16 |
quality control |
everyone responsible for quality |
|
17 |
inward-looking |
customer-focused |
|
18 |
individual effort and reward |
individual and team effort and reward |
|
19 |
management knows best |
all together know best |
|
20 |
success as personal success |
success as the success of others |
|
21 |
best for organization (focused on bottom line) |
best for organization in society |
SOURCE: From the Encyclopedia of Leadership: A Practical Guide to Popular Leadership Theories and Techniques; Contrasting Management and Leadership: Inspired by numerous sources, including Joseph and Jimmie Boyett, Stuart Crainer, Peter Drucker, Andy Grove, John Kotter, and others.
For weeks now, we have been discussing the key to transformational development namely, morality and values as guiding principles that inform choice and conduct. In the table above, Row 14 shows us that managers follow techniques while leaders focus on principles—denoting the importance of guiding principles to transformational development. That this transformation, is and must be sustainable, is elucidated by row 9 which shows that managers focus on short-term results while leaders focus on long-term results. Leaders focus on and emphasize the big picture. Sustainable transformation is key to the emphasis of genuine leaders. Whiles managers are more goal oriented as per row 2, leaders are more values oriented. This is why the subject of the TLS for multiple weeks now has been values and morality. Row 5 shows us that leaders not only focus on values but they must model them while managers only define these value statements. They do not necessarily model them.
Can a person do both sides of the table. It is rare but possible. But for our studies, the focus is on leadership transformation—not managerial transformation so much of our focus going forward will be on the right-hand side of the table.
