Differences Between Leadership and Management

Differences Between Leadership and Management

There are three key differences between leadership and management positions (Martins, 2024). The first difference is in regard to the creation and support of the culture in the company. Leaders have the duty to mold and create the culture in the company by establishing what it should look like, emulating it, and inspiring the employees to want to be a part of it. In this matter, managers have a duty to implement the guidelines and cultural practices in addition to relaying the feedback of the employees back to the leader. The second difference is in the execution of ideas into reality. Here, leaders are responsible for coming up with ideas or an achievement that they want the team to achieve, and also motivating them to achieve that goal. Managers, on the other hand, are responsible for the execution of this idea so that it can turn into reality. They have the role of budgeting, allocating roles, and finding individuals capable of certain tasks, among other actions, all aimed at achieving the goal. The last difference between a manager and a leader is in how they both handle the company’s strategic plan. While leaders are responsible for setting the company’s strategic plan, for instance, by developing clear goals on how it will be achieved, managers are responsible for executing these plans into everyday activities of the company in order to achieve these goals.

The job I found after searching for management jobs in healthcare is operational management. The keywords under this job description that represent a management skill are “successful planning and delivery of services and resources”. These words describe the role of an operational manager, which, as described earlier, is the execution of plans made by leaders. Keywords under the job description that represent a leadership skill are “direction of ‘business’ in the NHS”. Leaders are responsible for forming a plan or direction for the company,y and they give these directions to managers who then find ways to execute the plans and achieve the leader’s goal.

There are several traits of a leader, one, being credible. To be a leader, one must have the ability to be trusted by their team. This trust is earned through keeping their word, holding themselves accountable for their words and actions, and putting the needs of the team before their own (Kouzes & Posner, 2021). Further credibility is also earned through integrity, whereby a leader is honest and has strong moral standards. A second trait of a leader is the focus on building relationships with the team by focusing on human elements as opposed to only employee productivity. Thirdly, leaders tend to be humble, which is displayed in how they give credit where it’s due and strongly advocate for what the team members need. A fourth trait of a leader is that they must be effective communicators; this does not only mean being able to convey their message effectively, but they must also be active listeners who understand what their team is saying. Additional traits of leaders include being empathetic and decisive.

Some of the traits that determine whether a leader is effective or not include being resilient. A leader who is in charge of making a plan for the direction of a company, team, or business, sometimes these decisions will fail, land only an effective leader will be able to bounce back from such setbacks (Yu, Wen, Smith & Stokes, 2022). Another trait of an effective leader is adaptability. With so much innovation happening every day, it is wise for a leader to be flexible and open to change so that they can survive and thrive in said environment. Thirdly, an effective leader is passionate about their work. Fourth, an effective leader delegates duties to other people, especially individuals who are better skilled than him in areas he may not be (Baker & Murphy 2022).

These leadership qualities support effective management by nurturing a healthy work environment, boosting teamwork, and driving constant progress. For instance, resilience helps a leader navigate challenges, while adaptability guarantees they can react to fluctuating circumstances. Through the combination of leadership traits and management skills, one can be an effective manager by ensuring both the efficient operation of the team and the motivation and inspiration of the team.

References

Baker, E. L., & Murphy, S. A. (2022). Delegation: A Core Leadership Skill. Journal of Public Health Management and Practice, 28(4), 430-432.

Kouzes, J. M., & Posner, B. Z. (2021). Everyday people, extraordinary leadership: How to make a difference regardless of your title, role, or authority. John Wiley & Sons.

Martins, J. (2024). Leadership vs. management: Are they different?. Asana, Asana. Accessed from: https://asana.com/resources/leadership-vs-management

Yu, M., Wen, J., Smith, S. M., & Stokes, P. (2022). Building up resilience and being effective leaders in the workplace: a systematic review and synthesis model. Leadership & Organization Development Journal, 43(7), 1098-1117.

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There are differences between management and leadership. It is important for you to know and understand the differences as you are applying for a new position. Consider the following: A leader is a coach and keeps everyone inspired, while a manager is operational. Employers usually include management skills and leadership expectations in their job posting descriptions and requirements.

Differences Between Leadership and Management

Preparation
Review the following articles to learn about the differences between leadership and management:

“Leadership vs. Management: When to Manage and When to Lead” by Audrey Eads from Indeed
“Leadership vs. Management: Are They Different?” by Julia Martins from Asana

Locate 1 management position within health care by searching online or by using a local newspaper or job board. Use the following keywords when completing your search online:

“Management positions in health care”
“Hospital CEO positions”
“Nursing home administrator positions”

Assignment Deliverable
Write a 350- to 700-word summary in which you:

Explain the differences between management and leadership.
Use the job description or requirements of the job you located and explain the skills and characteristics required for:
Keywords found within the job posting that represent a management skill or characteristic
Keywords found within the job posting that represent a leadership skill or characteristic
Explain what characteristics a leader has.
What are the traits of an effective leader?
How do these traits support you in becoming an effective leader in a management position?

Cite a minimum of 3 peer-reviewed, scholarly, or similar references.