Management and leadership
Introduction
Leadership seems so common that the definition is almost vague. Leadership and management are two different traits but when they are combined they are useful for optimal performance. What makes up a leader is education and what makes up a manager is training (Bennis, 2009).
The word management in the English language comes from the Latin word manus, meaning “horse training” (Darling & Nurmi, 2009). Shakespeare used this meaning in King Lear, but it also means deceit in the play As You Like It. George Washington also referred the same meaning of management in his Letters. After the industrial revolution, the meaning of management began to change. The word leadership is of old German language, from the verb laedan, which literally means “travelling or going ahead,” because during that time, travelling would refer to “riding in front of a convoy” (Darling & Nurmi, 2009, p. 2004).
Leadership is also defined as “influence” (Pearce & Conger, 2003 as cited in Koh, 2008) and “relationship” (Kouzes & Posner, 2002) between constituents and leaders. An essential principle of leadership is serving others (Pollard, 1997 as cited in Koh, 2008). Koh (2005) argues that leadership involves honesty, integrity, character, effort, responsibility, patience, and complexity. These traits demystify the glamorous ideology of being a leader. But leadership is also described as art and science (Nahavandi, 2005 as cited in Koh, 2008) where creativity, skills, and talent can be cultivated to produce both short- and long-term improvement and results.
Drucker (2007 as cited in Koh, 2008) argues that management is about tasks, responsibilities and practices. Management is the capability to control and maintain the culture of the social and personal behavior in a group environment (DiGiulio, 2000 as cited in Koh, 2008). The main task of a manager is to get his/her people to work together as efficiently as possible so that people can give their best.
Management conventionally refers to competence, planning, procedures, regulations, and control. Leadership, on the other hand, refers to “vision, creativity and risk-taking” (Yukl, 2005 as cited in Darling & Nurmi, 2009, p. 201). A manager needs managerial abilities; for example, doctors or lawyers need competence to practice their profession. Leaders, on the other hand, should have leadership skills and they can be managers or not, albeit managers should also possess some amount of leadership skills to lead people. Managers obtain their position based on a hierarchy; whereas leaders have to be recognized and accepted by other people (Darling & Nurmi, 2009, p. 202).
Before a person is entrusted a leadership position, he or she should know how to lead himself or herself. Drucker’s (2002 as cited in Darling & Nurmi, 2009) concept of self-management powerfully reinforces this principle. Drucker’s concept prompt leaders to gain critical understanding on self-management, as they address the internal foundations of leadership.
Some few decades ago, leadership was a trait or characteristic needed by supervisors or middle-managers (McFarland, 1979 as cited in Darling & Nurrmi, 2009), and top management was assigned complex roles like strategic management, and has to pass these strategies to low-level managers. In turn, middle managers and supervisors should possess leadership skill to get things done. We can cite the military hierarchy, where the generals formulate strategies and manage soldiers, who should not mess around with the generals’ command. This concept came from the Aristotelian type of vertical management (Nurmi, 1984 as cited in Darling & Nurmi, 2009). The word strategy originated from the military strategy of fighting and the art of war.
Some people are natural leaders; others are made. Process leadership refers to people who become leaders in the process. As long as leaders are effective, there’s no problem whether they are born or made. Understanding the process of an individual leader is the key to understanding the larger phenomenon of leadership.
Erikson’s (1980 as cited in Whitney, 2007) eight developmental stages of life explained each of Freud’s stages in terms of ego development, and he expanded the discussion of stages beyond the adolescent with young adulthood, adulthood, and old age stages.
The notion that leadership begins with the individual has been established in the social change model and was supported by many current leadership authors and theorists (Bennis, 2003 as cited in Whitney, 2007). The trait theory states that leaders possessed certain qualities or natural abilities. Self-confidence and personal identity were characteristics of leadership.
The psychodynamic approach can be traced to Freud, which states that leaders are more effective when they understand their psychological makeup and the makeup of the team members (Northouse as cited in Whitney, 2007). John F. Kennedy can be described as a trait leader because he was born from a family of leaders. Charismatic leaders were born, like Obama. According to Warren Bennis (2009), we have a few leaders who were born and most of those revered are already gone.
Conclusion
The meaning of leadership has evolved and influenced the real definition of management, which is now based on the American meaning of leadership. According to Darling and Nurmi (2009), leadership has its origins in American history, with its stories of myths and legendary individuals, who used their charisma to influence and lead people. We read from books and magazines stories of heroes who led America to freedom and democracy.
References
Bennis, W. (2009). On becoming a leader: The leadership classic. Philadelphia: Perseus Books.
Darling, J., & Nurmi, R. (2009). Contemporary paradigms of management and leadership. European Business Review, 21(3), 201-214. doi: 10.1108/09555340910956603
Koh, S. (2008). Leadership and management skills of preservice teachers (Doctoral thesis, Claremont Graduate University). Retrieved from http://ezproxy.sothebysinstitute.com:2195/pqdtft/docview/304672058/fulltextPDF/19579B5323D74DDCPQ/1?accountid=13958
Westover, R. (2016). Leading in the 21st century: Conceptualization of the transformation of higher education and the leadership roles that initiate these changes (Doctoral thesis, Northcentral University). Retrieved from http://ezproxy.sothebysinstitute.com:2195/pqdtft/docview/1767805166/fulltextPDF/E5E5D9798CF741CBPQ/6?accountid=13958
Whitney, R. (2007). What community leaders say about the leadership process: A mixed methods study of identity, resilience, and self-efficacy (Doctoral thesis, University of Nevada, Reno). Retrieved from http://ezproxy.sothebysinstitute.com:2195/pqdtft/docview/304828391/fulltextPDF/EBFA8CAEA5A04704PQ/9?accountid=13958
