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Leadership and Management

In evaluating leadership and management separately, I find that the two overlap frequently. Should they be kept separate to optimize personal growth?

Our company has an excellent evaluation tool. The first section is "Key Essential Duties and Responsibilities" which is all management. The second part is "Organizational Core Competencies" which covers leadership skills and personal attributes. I think there is value in speaking of them separately, but in the end we employ the whole purson. Discussing separately clarifies the expectations and contributes to the growth as a whole.

Leadership and management do very often overlap. I do not believe that a concerted effort should be made to separate the two, although they are certainly very different functions. A manager, in my view, will find, during the course of their career, many instances where they have to call upon their leadrship skills.

Ted Vitalie

Leadership is about setting a new direction for a group; management is about directing and controlling according to established principles. However, someone can be a symbolic leader if they emerge as the spearhead of a direction the group sets for itself. Many confuse when should they manage and when should they lead. Some leaders can not manage and some mangers can not lead. Most people think that leadership and managment are the same.

Great point Diana & one that I have been making for some time. If you have never read it I would encourage you to read the Harvard Business Review article, "What Leaders Really Do" by John Kotter. He makes a great distinction between leading & managing.
Ryan

I never looked at leadership as being seperate from management. After taking this course I see the difference. This will help me to become a better Leader/Manager.

Glad it was helpful Tom. And I think it's important to remember that both skill sets are needed, they're just different.
Ryan

I do think leadership and management are two different rolls. While they may overlap in some areas of their work, they are more effective as separate rolls.
After taking this course I realize I'm best sooted to be a leader rather than a manager. Now looking back to managers I worked for I realized they possessed these traits that made them effective in their jobs.

Michael,
I agree that they are distinct roles & generally we find that we are better suited for one or another.

Dr. Ryan Meers

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