People often tend to confuse between leadership and management in organizations. The more people think about this topic, the more they tend to confuse the issues relating to the two roles. However, leadership and management have totally different perspectives in running of an organization or a company. In definition, leadership is the ability to motivate and influence others to contribute towards the success of a company or organization where they are members. On the other hand, management involves directing persons or a group of people to coordinate them towards achieving a given goal (Fairholm, 2009, p.76).
Similarity
Leaders and managers use the bases of power to influence their subjects or employees. This is the point where leadership and management tend to be similar since the bases of power that are used include; coercive power where managers or leaders tend to threaten employees of punishment for them to comply, legitimate power where employees believe that managers have the rights to give orders to them, referent power where managers lead by example, reward power where managers reward employees for their work, and expert power where employees believe that their manager has some greater knowledge than them. Leaders tend to be authoritarian, democratic or laissez-faire. These forms of power apply both to leadership and management of organizations.
Differences
Leadership
Leadership has quite a number of personal styles such as charisma, mercurial and brilliance. Leaders are people oriented thus they do not care about the gains of tasks done but how the people feel about them. In every accomplishment leaders make, they have the people in their minds. Leaders are therefore focused on leading people towards achievements and thus, are high risk takers and also have a high level of imaginations.
Leaders look at problems in their simplicity and device methods of solving them thus focusing on increasing the commitment of others towards ways of solving their problems and excelling in their choices. In leadership, styles used include transformational, participative and consultative through charisma and influence to the people. Leaders also have followers to whom they appeal through their heart rather than through their head (Goethals & Sorenson, 2006, p.80).
Management
Managers tend to be rational, and problem solvers who take everything under control focusing on structures, goals, availability of resources and personnel. Managers are task oriented persons who focus on managing work in order to achieve good results. Therefore, they have their personalities based on strong will, persistence, intelligence and analysis. Managers empower their employees by soliciting their principles, values and views thus reducing inherent risk that will help them achieve greater success (Armstrong & Stephens, 2005, p.54).
Managers risk averse and they are actively involved in decision making for an organization. Their styles of leadership include; authoritative, dictatorial, autocratic, transactional, democratic and consultative. The power of managers is relayed through position and formal authorities to their subordinates. Management is an important aspect of every organization or company since it contributes to the growth and development. Management and power thus go along to enhance effective leadership thus achieving the targeted goals set.
Conclusion
The sources of power model by French and Raven’s is used widely by managers and leaders to exercise their authority in one way or another. Leadership and management are thus similar in terms of the authority carried by individuals and level of success. Good leadership styles lead to effective management (Mitchell & Casey, 2007).
Bibliography
Fairholm, G. W. (2009). Organizational power politics: tactics in organizational leadership. Santa Barbara, Calif.: Praeger/ABC-CLIO.
Goethals, G. R., & Sorenson, G. J. (2006). The quest for a general theory of leadership. Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar.
Mitchell, M., & Casey, J. (2007). Police leadership and management. Annandale, NSW: Federation Press.
Armstrong, M., & Stephens, T. (2005). A handbook of management and leadership: a guide to managing for results. London: Kogan Page.
