Difference Between Effective Management & Effective Leadership
Effective leaders establish a clear direction for their organizations. They communicate a compelling vision in their writing, speaking and presenting. According to Randall Dunham and Jon Pierce's leadership process model, developed in 1989, successful leaders accurately assess a situation before taking an action to get a positive result. These leaders motivate and inspire subordinates to take action, and they enable transitions and transformations. Effective managers, on the other hand, control and direct people according to established policies and procedures. They ensure that day-to-day operations flow smoothly. Organizations need both functions to succeed.
Effective leaders define their vision and motivate subordinates to adopt this vision, often during meetings and training sessions or in newsletters. Leaders display integrity, empathy, assertiveness and good decision-making skills to lead others effectively. Once subordinates accept the plan for the future, it requires an effective manager to carry out the vision by assigning resources and completing tasks. Managers ensure that employees have the skills, knowledge and capability to get the job done.
When market conditions change, effective leaders recognize the need for adjusting standard business practices. By taking risks and promoting innovative strategies, they make it possible for companies to capitalize on strengths and opportunities and mitigate or eliminate risks and threats. Managers tend to excel at maintaining operations, not changing them. Effective managers ensure consistency once a direction has been set.
Autocratic leaders operate by making decisions without consulting their subordinates. This tends to work well during a crisis, such as a natural or man-made disaster. Under these circumstances, people appreciate a decisive leader who can take charge. Generally speaking, however, employees resent autocratic managers because people who use this style adhere to strict rules and often fail to recognize employee value. An effective manager requires the participation of her subordinates to get work done. By asking for input on how work gets accomplished, she improves employee satisfaction, morale and retention.
Effective leaders set goals for their organizations. They establish a long-term strategy. These leaders review the work of managers and provide sponsorship for activities. Leaders approve the allocation of resources, allowing managers to recruit and hire employees and spend money. Then, effective managers initiate, plan, execute, monitor and close projects to achieve the strategic goals. Their tactical efforts ensure that quality products and services get to market on time and under budget. While leaders and managers perform different roles in the organization, each function enables a company to flourish in the long run.
- The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership: Follow Them and People Will Follow You; John C. Maxwell
Tara Duggan is a Project Management Professional (PMP) specializing in knowledge management and instructional design. For over 25 years she has developed quality training materials for a variety of products and services supporting such companies as Digital Equipment Corporation, Compaq and HP. Her freelance work is published on various websites.