Management & Leadership

Management and Leadership

As a Naval Officer I had the opportunity to experience both leadership and management. Today’s Navy operates with fewer people and resources than before. Therefore, leadership and management are more important than ever. Very early in my career I was taught leadership and as I advanced through the ranks I experienced management.

There are numerous distinctions between management and leadership. Good managers are sometimes leaders; good leaders are sometimes managers. The distinction is primarily between action and enabling. I see management as a function. Examples of management include, planning, budgeting, evaluating, and facilitating. Examples of leadership include, a relationship, selecting talent, motivating, coaching, and building. Fenton (1990) said, “Leaders are observant and sensitive people. They know their team and develop mutual confidence within it”.

Management

Management is the brains of a business. It is where someone has ultimately authority and responsibility for the task but is not necessarily the person executing the task. Management distributes the task to others in the team and act as advisor and facilitator. They establish systems, create rules and operating procedures, and put into place incentive programs. Management is about the business, not always the people. The people are important as a way of getting the job done. Leadership is the heart of a business. Leaders are active in most tasks. They are usually the first to take action. The leader has vision, drive and enthusiasm. The essence of leadership means inspiring a group to come together for a common goal. Leaders motivate, counsel and work with people to keep them bonded and eager to move forward. That means setting a direction, communicating it to everyone and keeping people motivated even when times get tough.

Leadership

Leadership is a facet of management. It is just one of the many assets a successful manager must possess. The main aim of a manager is to maximize the output of the organization through administrative implementation. To achieve this managers must undertake the four functions of management: planning, organization, leading and controlling. In some cases leadership is just one important component of the leading function. Predpall (1994) said, “Leaders must let vision, strategies, goals, and values be the guide-post for action and behavior rather than attempting to control others”. In some circumstances, leadership is not required. For example, self-motivated groups may not require a single leader and may find leaders dominating. The fact that a leader is not always required proves that leadership is just an asset and is not essential.

To create and maintain a healthy organizational culture is a trait of an effective leader. To be an effective leader requires certain skills. I will identify six skills effective leaders have in common. Followership, concern for subordinates, development of others, communication, high standards of performance and loyalty to the organization.

Navy Leader Development Program (1990) suggest that “To lead you must first be able to follow: For without followers, there can be no leaders”. One thing that is often overlooked concerning successful leaders is they were successful followers before they became leaders. A leadership role and a followership role can be, and usually are, performed simultaneously. In providing guidance for the worker, a supervisor is functioning as a leader. At the same time, a leader must assume a followership role. You are a connecting link between the workers and the management. The skills required of you in a followership or leadership role are similar in many ways. For example, whether you are a leader or a follower, you should strive to create harmony, togetherness, and a sense of belonging within your organization. Followership and leadership are not opposites. Some people have the idea that followership is the reverse or opposite of leadership. In my opinion that is wrong. For example, if a leader is decisive, the reverse says the follower is indecisive; or if the leader is organized, that the follower is disorganized. The list is unending, but you can see that leadership and followership are not opposites. Leaders sometimes perform both roles at the same time.

Concern for subordinates is another skill effective leaders possess. Great leaders know that concern for your people is important. In most workplace there are subordinates who have problems, whether it be professional, family, personal problems etc. Effective leaders understand their people and work with them to resolve their problems. If subordinates have unresolved problem, they will not work to full potential. Helping your people resolve their problems