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Liz Horgan
order and consistency to organizations (Northouse, 2010). The objectives of management and
managers are to achieve goals with minimum waste and least cost, to care for and optimize staff,
and to protect the means of production and insure operations occur in the best manner possible
(Cutts, 1998). The function of leadership, on the other hand, “is to produce change and
movement” (Northouse, p. 10). Leaders are emotionally active and involved, their objective is to
shape a vision or idea and expand the possibilities for solving problems. Bennis and Nanus
(1985) summarize the differences by contending that the focus of management is to accomplish
activities and master routines, where leadership is about influencing others and creating vision
for change (Northouse, 2010). However, as I will show, these two functions do not operate in
I searched the web for management and leadership blogs, to get an idea of what is going
“Management”, on the other hand, was somewhat harder to find. I went to the Top 100
Management and Leadership Blogs that All Managers Should Bookmark (HRWorld) and could
not find a single blog that dealt with management specifically (in contrast, there were many that
highlighted leadership). Even going to Management skills blog (Foster, 2010) I was faced with
mixed messaging. Foster’s current blog dealt with management issues, but the training course he
was promoting on his site was about leadership: Working Leadership Online. It seems to me that
there is crossover, and possibly some confusion between the two concepts. The functions of
leadership and management can overlap; they have similarities in process and influence, but
differ significantly in the areas of focus. I wonder if today people want to be known as leaders,
not as managers. Effecting change seems to be much more exciting than creating order and
consistency, at least from my anecdotal evidence gleaned from bookstore displays and general
business media coverage. While leadership seems to be today’s hot topic, I believe both
The following case study and additional analysis is an example of the differences
between management and leadership. Foster (2010) blogs about a case study, The Real Role of
First Line Management, involving production problems at a plant. Volume is down, staffing is
down slightly, yet the group continues to get more and more behind on completing orders. The
blog presents ideas for managers on how to more effectively problem-solve under realistic time
horizons. Analyzing this scenario using Kotter’s chart (Northouse, p.10), the functions and
activities of this case fit under the “Management” column. The approach outlined in the blog to
the problem was reactive, it focused on timing and planning; the solution was structured by
establishing agendas and setting timetables within staffing and budgetary limitations. The focus
was to alter job placements with the goal of correcting the problems. The manager exercised his/
her authority by analyzing his/her staff (displaying low emotional involvement with
subordinates) and making changes to solve the problem. He/she used the credibility and power
that stemmed from his/her position at the plant to influence the action with a focus on outcome.
So, how would things differ if looked at this case from a leadership perspective? Again,
using Kotter’s matrix from a leadership standpoint, a leader would look at the bigger picture and
establish overall direction for production at the plant. In doing this, he/she would align the
people, communicating issues and goals, building group consensus, seeking commitment and
fostering teamwork. A leader would empower subordinates and seek to influence the process of
change by expanding the available options to the team as they work to solve the production
problems. Finally, he/she would motivate and energize the team to action. The solution to the
production problem would occur through a broader process, one that encouraged worker
participation through leadership empowerment. The directive ‘to think of what is possible, not
what is expedient’ (Northouse, 2010), highlights the mission of a leader, to provide and
encourage vision and to motivate followers to achieve solutions to the problem. Personal traits,
style, skills and the passion of a leader enter into the confidence and influence he/she is able to
present to his/her followers. Because leadership involves both the individual leader and the other
participants in the workplace, the process of decision making takes on a more important role.
In this case study, a manager reacts to problems and generates solutions, where a leader
would be a catalyst for change. There is overlap, as both managers and leaders deal with
problem solving and change. It is in their approach that the biggest differences occur.
Innovation for leaders is more than problem solving for products and functions, leaders must
have a bigger picture and look at areas like best business practices, alternative workforce
While the media and trends in business development seem focused only on leadership at
the moment, organizations succeed only if both management and leadership functions are
operational. While the functions and objectives of each role can be delineated simply, using
Kotter’s matrix for example, the business world is complex and practical realities suggest that
leaders can and need to be managers and managers can and need to be leaders. In practice,
knowledge of both conceptual frameworks, distinct as they are, whether the job position is
primarily one of a manager or one of a leader, is important to effectively executing work
responsibilities. Balance is critical (for example, there are dangers to a leader of getting bogged
down with details, and losing the focus on vision). So while leadership and management are
different constructs, they need to function together in order to benefit the whole of an
organization.
References:
http://userwebs.cth.com.au/~gcutts/Management/1manager.html
http://www.hrworld.com/features/top-100-management-blogs-061008/
Northouse, P. G. (2010). Leadership: Theory and practice. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.