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Respond to each post (150 words per response)
Post #1
Lessons in school have led many people to believe that leaders and managers are separate individuals. This could not be farther from the truth. Lessons like these have culminated in managers without leadership skills and leaders without managerial skills. A manager without leadership skills will have very little influence among employees, and will fail to build the trust needed to be effective. On the other hand, leaders lacking managerial skills will see the big picture and have a vision of the end-goal, yet they will lack the knowledge on how to achieve it. Leaders must learn to become managers, and the same is true that managers must learn to become leaders. This will allow the individual to become well-rounded and more effective.
Northouse writes, “Although there are clear differences between management and leadership, the two constructs overlap. When managers are involved in influencing a group to meet its goals, they are involved in leadership. When leaders are involved in planning, organizing, staffing, and controlling, they are involved in management” (Northouse, 2016, p. 15). This example shows the need to be adaptive and possess traits from both sides of the spectrum.
Serving in the Navy, has shown me both sides of the spectrum. I have had the pleasure of working with some of the best and worst leaders. I typically find those who possess both traits to be the most effective.
Post #2
“Leadership and management are different concepts that overlap” (Northouse, 2016, p.17). According to Peter Northhouse, managers typically focus on planning, organizing, staffing and controlling and leadership emphasizes the influence process (Northouse, 2016).
Having said that, I believe that it is possible to be an effective leader and manager, but it does take time, practice and skill. Leading is not for everyone, and the same applies to management. However, because they overlap, I feel it is important for managers to learn leadership skills so they can be more effective in creating positivity in the work place, which increases morale and decreases turnover rates among employees.
A leader is one who influences the behavior and work of others in group efforts towards achievement of specified goals in a given situation. In my perspective, leadership and good management are two different skills and an organization needs both. Leaders don’t believe in “status quo” and know that change is the only constant in life. What sets them apart is the courage and self-confidence with which they embrace change. Leaders actually make changes happen and drive them in the direction they believe is best for organization (or mankind at large).
A leader’s vision typically starts from the other end, i.e. industry or society in general. A leader wants to see the desired change at a much larger level and his only goal is to make that change happen. When I served in the Air Force, and achieved rank as a non-commissioned officer, I automatically assumed a leadership role. Through professional military education and every day experience supervising my subordinates, I learned the skills and traits I needed to become an effective leader. Everyone has their own leadership style, and I had to learn what worked best for me, which took time.
“Effective leaders take a personal interest in the long term development of their employees” (Zaleznik, 2004). I believe this to be true, especially since leaders are responsible for the training development of their employees, and more.
Good management is much more about taking the defined goals and partitioning them into detailed plans. An organization that wants to stay competitive and relevant in the long run needs both leaders and good managers to complement each other. In the Air Force, our officers fulfilled managerial roles, while our non-commissioned officers fulfilled both leadership and managerial roles. At times I found it challenging to sit in managerial roles when I was accustomed to leadership roles. It took time to find that balance between leadership and management that worked well for my team. The officers were in charge of running the organization and providing detailed plans of what needed to be done, in regard to specific tasks and order, just as anyone who would who fulfills managerial roles.
According to John Kotter, “leadership is different from management and both are necessary for success in the work place” (Kotter 2001, p.85). The Air Force made me realize how important effective leadership and management are to any organization.
References:
•Northouse, P. G. (2016). Leadership: Theory and practice (7th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
•Kotter, J. P. (2001). What leaders really do. Harvard Business Review, 79(11), 85-96.
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•Zaleznik, A. (2004). Managers and leaders: Are they different? Harvard Business Review, 82(1), 74-81
Post #3
I agree that it is possible to be an effective leader and manager. After reading the articles, I don’t think becoming an effective leader and manager is easy to do but it can be done. I agree with what is being stated in the article, that we first need to understand and clarify the difference between a leader and manager before we assume the manager/leader position. According to Kotter (2001), companies are looking to fill the executive jobs with people who can manage and lead; that companies “rightly ignore” literature that states people cannot manage and lead at the same time. Kotter states that “Once companies understand the fundamental difference between leadership and management, they can begin to groom their top people to provide both” (Kotter, 2001, p. 86).
Kelley (1988), states that leaders are different kinds of people who differ from motivation, personal history, and how they think and act. Kelley also states that the difference between a leader and manager is the person’s personality. “Leaders work in the opposite direction. Where managers act to limit choices, leaders develop fresh approaches to long-standing problems and open issues to new options. To be effective, leaders must protect their ideas onto images that excite people and only develop choices that give those images substance” (Kelly, 1988, p. 77). After reading Kelley’s article to become both a manager and leader, you have to the type of personality that can function as a manager then change when you need to lead. This kind of reminds me of the transformational leadership style.
A perfect example of someone whom I admire and who I feel does an excellent job in managing and leading is my Commander in my Air Force Reserve squadron. As I observe him, he is able to manage the different programs that goes on in his squadron and at the same time he is a leader by ensuring that we all see his vision and he continually motivates us by recognition and he is transparent with information. My Commander is able to do both functions because he knows how to manage and also understands the importance to lead his people. I don’t think that being able to manage and lead is an easy task and not everyone has this capability, however it could be done. I strive to be like my Commander, I would like to manage and lead effectively, however I am having a difficult time with the management part. I am always falling behind in effectively managing the programs and process in my unit. I feel I don’t have enough time in the day to work on the programs and processes, however I am able to motivate and explain my vision to my unit so that they buy in and want to do the work. Being in the position that I am in, I understand how much easier it is to have a manager to manage the processes and the leader to guide and motivate the people to do the job.
Kotter, J.P. (2001). What leaders really do. Harvard Business Review, 79(11), 85-96.
Kelley, R.E. (1988). In praise of followers. Harvard Business Review, 66(6), 142-148.
