Management VS Leadership

Posted in: Leadership, Leadership Development, Learning

I’m often asked if I can explain the difference between “management” and “leadership.” And while I understand the academic differences, I’ve gotten to the point where I want to say that the attention should not be on the differences. Let me clarify. They are actually quite distinct, but the one should not exist without the other.

At Learning Point, we contend that great managers provide strong leadership. And great leaders have strong managerial skills. They go hand in hand. It sounds simple, but in our 25 years we’ve found that an imbalance either way undermines the success of the individual, the team, and the organization. And it is not uncommon to find such imbalances. Managing without leading might get you short term results – maybe – but without vision, commitment or character. Leading without managing can create hype and hysteria around ideals but without traction and execution.

To avoid the imbalance, we recommend that managers and supervisors take ownership for their role on both sides of the spectrum. Lead and manage. Do them both. Do them well.

Own Your Role (as both manager and leader)
Know Your People (from both a management and leadership standpoint)
Know Your Job (as manager and leader)
Know Yourself (why you do what you do and how you do it best)

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