The Essential Differences Between Leadership and Management

To understand the differences between Leadership and management, it is important to define the two.

Leadership is setting a new direction or vision for a group that they follow

Management is controlling or directing people and / or resources according to principles, values or vision that has already been established.

One can be a manager or a leader or both

Leadership without management

* Sets a direction or vision that others follow, without considering too much of how the new direction is going to be achieved.

* Other people then have to work hard in the trail making it work.

Management without Leadership

* Controls resources to maintain the status quo or ensure things happen according to already-established plans. E.g. a referee manages a sports game.

Leadership combined with Management

* It both sets a new direction

* manages the resources to achieve it

It should be noted however that both leadership and management are of equal importance. Leadership without management will result in ideas or visions that cannot be achieved. Management on its own can lead to organizations failing to move with the times and setting new goals. According to Bob Selden, author of "What To Do When You Become The Boss" for a manager to be considered a leader there should be:

* A shared understanding of the environment - "We know what we face"

* A shared vision of where we are going - "We know what we have to do"

* A shared set of organizational values - "We are in this together"

* A shared feeling of power - "We can do this"

To summarise the essential differences

Leadership Management

1 Is setting a direction or vision that others follow Is Controlling resources according to already-established plans

2 Has followers Has subordinates

3 Is optional Is mandatory

4 Cannot be taught (1 has to appeal to others) Can be taught

5 Works on a vision Works on set objectives

6 Is transformational Is transactional

7 A leader takes risks manager