Leadership versus Management

Paper Summary:

This paper examines how leadership and management, though closely related, have many distinct differences. It points out that leadership tends to focus primarily on long-range goals and a vision for the organization, while management concerns itself more with day-to-day operations and generally does not look very far ahead in terms of organizational direction. The paper notes that traits associated with both are needed in order for any organization to prosper; and both may even be possessed by an individual. The paper then concludes that, regardless of the differences between the two, both are central to the survival of an organization in today's highly competitive and ever-changing market.

From the Paper:

"Management, on the other hand, does not always benefit or make use of the same traits as leadership; but is just as vital to an organization. A manager whose job is to run the day-to-day affairs of a small department has little need to excel at generating strategic visions for a company. This is not to say that managers are inferior or less important than leaders; but the fact remains that leadership is often needed toward the top of an organizational hierarchy, while management is needed throughout the organization at middle and lower levels. This is not derogatory, but simply a result of the job functions of each. In an effort to remove the stigma associated with management when comparing to leadership, new terms to describe the two have become popular. Strategic leadership and supervisory leadership are two such terms that replace leadership and management, respectively (Bateman & Snell, 2004, p. 368). However, regardless of what terms are used, the functions of leadership and management are fundamentally different. Different skill sets, mindsets, and personalities are what differentiate the two."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Bateman, T.S., & Snell, S. (2004). Management: The new competitive landscape. (6th ed.) New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin.

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