Leadership v/s management

“All of us encounter, at least once in our life, some individual who utters words that make us think forever”—Benjamin Disraeli
While participating in CBP today, a topic was given to one of the groups to discuss upon leadership v/s management. Group did well to execute and bring forth all the valid issues regarding the topic. The heated debate was on, and everyone tried to push their points. At the end of session many of the issues were shrouded by clouds of uncertainty and confusion whether leadership is subset of management, leadership is more important than management various others. Then I thought why not to explore this issue? Here I am putting forward my own thoughts which I, if given chance, would have expressed.
Before understating what are the differences between leadership and management, a quick look at their definitions will be helpful. Leadership has been defined in various ways and main gist of those definitions can be put like this- “leadership is the process of encouraging and helping others to work enthusiastically towards objectives”. I think leadership is the behaviour of an individual which he shows while directing the activities of group towards some shared goals. This is done by interpersonal influence exhibited in a situation directing with the help of proper communication to attain common goals. One important point here is that people in group does work willingly not forced upon by leader. But is it so easy to make others work? Not so. The leader must posses some qualities or characteristics to influence others like great oration ability (one of the greatest orators is considered to be Roman Marcus Tullius Cicero 106 B.C. - 43 B.C.), great convincing power ( Adolf Hitler was one such personality) clarity of thoughts( U.S. president Barack Obama is the synonym to this though he is also an impressive orator). They are motivational force behind the great movements. Mahatama Gandhi, Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, Swami Dayananda Saraswati, Swami Vivekanand, Nelson Mandela are such great examples of motivational force. Can we have leaders from only politics and related areas? We do have certain great visionary leaders from world of business. Bill Gates, Micheal Dell, Warren Buffet are some global business leaders. From India we have J.R.D. Tata,Dhiru Bhai Ambani, Ratan Tata, Narayan Murthy, Azim Prermji who are the epitome of great business leaders.
Management, managership and leadership are the so closely related terms such that exact distinction between them has blurred. Though if put in right perspective, differences can be drawn. Management in academia is defined as a process of planning, organising, coordinating, directing and controlling the activities of others.
I think leadership and managership can be distinguished on the basis of qualities possessed by managers and leaders. Managers, by virtue of holding a position, may have managership but not necessarily that they will have leadership qualities. Although it is highly unlikely that someone will keep a manager without leadership qualities at a crucial position. Then here comes the big question of what is the difference between leaders and managers? One difference which I perceive is of followers. By default an employee will follow his manager but not necessarily if he is not a leader. There is factor of compliance to which an employee will submit but not because of respect. A crude example of this can be opinion leaders in rural areas who by virtue of more advanced, progressive may be leaders. But people do not have binding to follow them. Though it is not always true all leaders are managers. They may be informal ones. Like in our very own classrooms we make someone the leader who is a senior of university or by age. Though colleagues follow him but he does not posses authority to manage them. It is generally said that for becoming a leader one must have emotional appeal. He should be charismatic personality with great vision to alter the mood of the followers and raise their hope and expectations. On the other hand managers are expected to be rational decision makers. Their ultimate objective is to achieve organizational goal. Leaders fulfils their’s followers’ needs while managers are accountable to organization.
Though in actual practice the distinction between management and leadership gets blurred. In organizations there are no such leaders or designations only managers are there. There manager will work as a manager but in his leadership capacities. That’s why in general we found project leaders not project managers who actually are managing work.
Should one be a manager or a leader? I think having qualities of both is desirable since at different times you have to exhibit different qualities. The management thinkers Peter Drucker and Warren Bennis have rightly pointed out that- “Management is doing things right, leadership is doing right things. Management ‘s efficiency lies in climbing the ladder of success; leadership determines whether the ladder is leaning against the right wall”.