Individual essential elements of leadership and management

Individual essential elements of leadership and management. Being your own employer does not automatically make you a leader (Nonaka, 2015). The qualities that a person exhibits are what define true leadership; not the position that person has. People select a leader to follow because they want to, not because they have to. Managers that can lead by example and project confidence in their actions tend to have the respect and ear of their staff members. It is uncommon to find a genuine manager who lacks confidence.

One more crucial quality for management and leadership is decisiveness. A leader makes choices and exudes certainty about them. A manager must be willing to issue direction and make decisions that affect the entire corporation. During 2008 financial crisis, many leaders did nothing to prevent their business from collapsing. A true manager and a leader come up with strategies to preserve their companies during the economic crisis.

A leader should heavily rely on intuition when making a decision. Experience, intuition, and knowledge are key factors to learn a company as a manager. A manager who only depends on numbers and facts is not going to excel as a manager who comprehends that there are other factors need to be considered. Successful leaders allow their intuition to assist them in making decisions.

Empathy is another significant element in management. A manager primary duty and responsibility is to understand employees and formulate methods of motivating them (Nonaka, 2015). This cannot be achieved devoid of empathy. Leadership is serving other individuals rather than being attended by them. A leader listens to other people and put himself into other people’s shoes. For instance, sometimes in workplaces managers attempt to lead employees by noting that “manager is the boss, everyone is supposed to carry out duties according to manager views.” This can be termed as bullying rather than leading. Workers do not work efficiently when they are bullied. A leader who demonstrates the elements mentioned above earns respect and loyalty from the entire corporation.

Differentiate Between Leadership and Management Roles

According to Kotter (1999), management and leadership are quite different theories, but they are related. Management can be defined as a discipline of handling items in the most efficient manner while leadership is viewed as having the ability to influence other people. The primary element of a leadership is to influence people and focus on encouraging changes. The fundamental strategy of leadership is proactive. Leaders are responsible for formulating guidelines and principles. Leadership aims at inspiring people (Kotter, 1999). For example, the leadership of former president of United States, Barrack Obama, led to enactment of Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). In the business sector, leadership is not constrained to people, but a company can have leadership by leading its rivals. Leadership is perceived in different ways such as brand, product, and cost and market share. For instance, Toyota Company attained leadership in the automotive industry.

On the other hand, the core component of management is to control. Managers coordinate and organize things efficiently. Management aims at managing activities and ensures smooth operations of business activities (Gabarro, 1991). Managers focus on bringing stability in their in their place of work. Management formulates procedures and policies that run a corporation or any other sector. The core strategy of the directorate is reactive. Managers rule over their employees. Management is found in various disciplines and areas. Management begins at home. For examples, mothers take care of family needs regardless of being big or small. They maintain households’ budgets and make decisions concerning finance or investment. Also, they motivate children in achieving their objectives and keep track of their activities.

References

Gabarro, J. J. (1991). Managing people and organizations. Boston, Mass: Harvard Business School Publications.

Kotter, J. P. (1999). John P. Kotter on what leaders really do.

Nonaka, I. (2015). Knowledge Management: Critical Perspectives on Business and Management, Volume 1 (Vol. 1). Taylor & Francis.