Management and leadership are often talked about as if they are the same thing. While there are areas of commonality between management and leadership, there are some differences. So what are some of the differences between management and leadership? Management and leadership are often described as if they are both the same but in reality they are very different. While there are areas of commonality there are areas of difference. So what are some of the differences? A lot of what managers do is focussed on the here and now or short term. While leaders may also have to focus on the short term, for example, in times of crisis, their focus will generally be more on the medium to longer term. Management is generally about maintaining what is already in place and making sure that things run smoothly. They make sure that everything is working as it should day to day. Leadership on the other hand is much more about innovating, being creative and finding ways of developing the business. Managers need to be extremely effective in dealing with the detail.
An employee is an asset to an organization, where they can learn and grow at both personal and professional level and contribute to organizational success. Corporate organizations across the globe focus on their employees with a view of developing a long time relationship with them. They always try their best to instill leadership skills in their employees, by virtue of their development programs. Every organization with business leaders at different levels of hierarchy can benefit from leadership programs. The entire workforce in an organization can reap benefits by the development of the leadership pool at the top most level of hierarchy. Leadership programs impact the bottom line of an organization as such programs are morale boosters for the employees. These programs maximize the potential and productivity of the individuals. Learning leaders develop great communication skills, critical thinking and employee conflict management skills necessary to be effective in their roles. Leadership programs develop confidence level in these dynamic business leaders that encourage them to think and dream big. These programs develop their hidden potentials to lead and also inspire their peers and subordinates. Confidence building potential is nurtured through various special projects, internships and development activities.
Their support is critical for the success and long-term viability of any leadership development program. Likewise, many agencies are finding that involvement by an elected official can also supplement the curriculum of a public sector leadership development program. For example, the City of Las Vegas invited a councilmember and the City of San Jose invited the Mayor to address their recent leadership academy programs. The official in each case addressed the class of leaders for up to one hour. They were asked to give their expectations for public sector leaders, and program participants were allowed to ask questions. The dialogue created in these forums allowed the organizations future leaders to see the organization through the eyes of an elected official. A facilitated conversation that followed the presentation encouraged the participants to identify meaningful take-aways from the elected officials comments. Because program participants have not likely interfaced extensively with an elected official, but will likely be expected to as their leadership responsibilities increase, this has become a critical element in public sector leadership development programs.
Most successful leaders influence their followers by proving that following their directions can benefit the whole. These leaders maintain their leadership because they have proven that they are able to actually spearhead the progress of their followers. There can be no denying that influence is one of the pillar leadership qualities. 2) Followers – Of course, there have to be followers in order for there to be a leader. A man cannot call himself a leader if he has no followers. For what then, would he be leading? This is probably the most important of the leadership qualities. The followers make the leader and give him his status. They define the leader. A leader without followers is merely a sad, arrogant man. 3) Special Ability- This allows the leader to handle special problems when the need arises. A leader leads because there is some quality in him that lets him handle a problem when his followers cannot face that problem on their own.
In “Great by Choice,” Collins defines discipline as “consistency of action.” For teams and companies, Collins’ definition implies that collaboration and collaborative leadership processes be consistent. Collins writes, “is to blend creative intensity with relentless discipline so as to amplify the creativity rather than destroy it.” He goes on to point out that “the signature of mediocrity is not an unwillingness to change; the signature of mediocrity is chronic inconsistency.” That inconsistency begins in the planning and decision-making process. And in a world of complex challenges that are best met by teams rather than individuals, that consistency requires a disciplined collaboration process. A disciplined collaborative planning process requires certain elements. Altogether, there are many elements in a planning process; however, some of the elements most successfully impact an effective collaborative leadership process — these are the elements that allow the process to be dynamic, iterative, participatory and cognitively diverse. Change happens; therefore, you shouldn’t collaborate on a plan only to find that the plan needs to change without a clear process of making those adaptations. The process for disciplined collaboration and collaborative leadership should also be iterative. Iteration is similar to dynamism, but is not the same.
