Question

The Doug Plucknette article suggests that there are considerable differences between being a leader and being a manager. Is it possible or desirable to be both? Chapter 2 of the Management textbook suggests that the four functions of management are planning, organizing, leading, and controlling. Provide one challenge posed by serving as a leader and one challenge posed by serving as a manager in each of these functions?

Answer 1

Management and leadership are different actions but works well together. Both are necessary for success in an increasingly complex and volatile business environment. Today we live and work in a world where creativity, innovation, engagement and empowerment are essential. This means that managers must be leaders. While in every organization we have good leaders and good managers, it possible to have people who are good leaders and managers. In today’s world, managers are faced with additional responsibilities as they take on the traditional competencies utilized by a manager, while also needing to apply leadership skills. It almost seems like a requirement for leaders and managers to perform both roles at different points in time, depending on the circumstances.

The managers use resources to attain organizational goals through the functions of planning, organizing, leading, and controlling.

Leader cannot set organizational goals and how to get there. Leader is not in a position to assign tasks. Leader does not have ability to redistribute tasks and tell people how to do their jobs. Leader does not have authority to discipline people when they are not doing what they supposed to do.

Managers do not take risks based on long term gains, they are focused on short term results. Managers cannot motivate people at personal level because they do not work with them at the ground level. Most of the managers do not have natural ability to lead. They provide direction and expect compliance. Since managers are administrators, employees can be intimidated.