Difference Between Leadership and Management
Leadership vs Management
Leadership and management are both different types of ways that a person can be in charge of others. Sometimes they will overlap, as managers can lead and leaders can manage, but the two concepts are not always synonymous.
Management can mean taking control of something or using it with more care, as in ‘time management’. It can also be a collective noun for managers or administrators.
Managers are people who are paid to manage something – manage meaning to be in charge of or handle with skill. This can mean other people, finances, press, a group of other managers, or any other thing. In short, managers are paid to make sure everything is running smoothly with whatever they are in put in charge of.
The kinds of managers that people are most familiar with – and who are most comparable to leaders – are the ones who manage other employees. Anyone who’s been employed by a company has likely had a manager at some point. These managers are expected to coordinate their employees, make sure that everyone is performing well and deal with it if they aren’t, and to make sure that their employees get paid and get any other benefits that they should receive. Sometimes, managers don’t do all of this, but the title refers more to their position in their company than it does their skills.
Leadership is either the qualities that allow someone to lead, or a collective noun for leaders. This brings us to the word leader, and what it can mean. In short, a leader is a thing or a person who gains followers. Sometimes, this can mean being the first at something. For instance, in the entertainment industry, someone who makes a successful game, book, or movie will often have other people make similar products in order to cash in on the first one’s success. The first one is often called an industry leader, and the others are followers, or also known as clones.
A leader can also be someone who is the foremost of anything. For example, the company considered to have the best customer service would be the leader of customer service.
Leadership, however, is more specifically the qualities that allow a person to be able to lead other people, or how they attract other people to their cause. Leadership is, for the most part, about inspiring other people. A good leader is someone who is able to win over others and get them to want to join their cause. Once the other people have joined, a leader will ensure that those people are taken care of, that they perform any tasks well, and that they continue to want to follow the cause.
A good leader might be someone who comes up with good ideas, and can articulate them in a way that makes other people excited about them. The leader might be someone who can understand other people well, and appeal to them in a way that resonates with them. Charisma – or the ability to attract people – can also be a valuable trait, but a leader will also have to be able to follow through on their promises and to assume responsibility for the people under them.
Leadership is about inspiring other people to follow them, but it is also about caring for their followers and often trying to make people’s lives better in some way.
Management is a job title, while leadership is a description of qualities. Because of this, it’s entirely possible to be both at the same time. If a manager is good at inspiring other people to do their best and to follow their company’s ideals, then that manager is also a leader.
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