Leadership | Origin: LS101R
This is a general discussion forum for the following learning topic:
Do You Manage Or Lead? --> Leadership
Post what you've learned about this topic and how you intend to apply it. Feel free to post questions and comments too.
I In this course I learned that many people believed leadership comes from the hard knocks of life and personal struggle. However, I now understand that leadership is actually a combination of nature and nurture. Some people may have natural leadership traits, but skills can also be developed through experiences, learning, and guidance.
The main thing I learned from this module is that leadership is meaningless without a clear goal or vision. Leadership isn’t just about guiding others—it’s about knowing where you are guiding them and why. Without a defined purpose, leadership becomes directionless and ineffective.
I also learned that managerial tasks tend to be more procedural and task‑oriented, focusing on organization, structure, and ensuring that processes run smoothly. In contrast, leadership roles involve broader oversight, including motivating others, shaping vision, and influencing people toward long‑term goals.
Leadership is the ability to influence and inspire others toward a shared vision.
To display leadership, you need to have vision. To be in management you are implementing that vision.
Leadership is ultimately about influencing a group to accomplish a goal. While this course focuses on leading within organizations, I believe the size of the group and the setting are less important than the ability to influence people toward a vision. Success also requires having trusted individuals you can rely on to help with implementation. I also believe it's possible to be a great leader in one realm, but a more effective manager in another (e.g. leading an organization, managing family finances, volunteering, etc.)
Leaders are visionaries, it seems like not everyone can be a visionary. Managers carry out that vision or create the steps in other workds.
El liderazgo no es un rasgo innato ni un cargo jerárquico, sino un proceso dinámico de influencia bidireccional que busca movilizar a un grupo hacia un objetivo común. Mientras que la gestión (management) se enfoca en la complejidad operativa, el orden y la ejecución de tareas mediante el control y la planificación, el liderazgo se centra en el cambio, la creación de una visión compartida y el compromiso emocional del equipo. En cualquier rol, desde la recepción hasta la dirección, el éxito organizacional depende de equilibrar ambas facetas: la capacidad del gerente para organizar el "cómo" y la habilidad del líder para inspirar el "por qué", asegurando que el equipo no solo trabaje con eficiencia, sino con propósito y motivación.
This information will help me focus my energy.
Leadership is a critical part of achieving the overall organizational goals. Leaders do this by keeping the team committed especially during times of change. Leaders can do this by recognizing their team to keep them motivated. I am committed to recognizing every individual of my team. Each member is essential in their own way as they come to the table with their own strengths to contribute to the team, and at the end of the day, the overall organizational goal.
I understand that Leadership is the ability to manage and guide your team to accomplish a common goal and objectives.
I think what stands out most to me in this discussion is how leadership and management aren’t mutually exclusive—someone can certainly be both, but it requires intentional development. A manager can become a leader when they go beyond coordinating tasks and begin inspiring, guiding, and supporting people. Likewise, a leader who understands structure and processes can also be an effective manager. The key seems to be recognizing when each skill set is needed and being willing to grow in areas that don’t come naturally.
Leadership qualities can be born or learned. Many people are much more comfortable with some of the duties associated with these tasks but others struggle to get the buy in.
Leaders are born, but they are also made. We all have the same capacity to develop leadership that transforms realities; however, it is a very personal decision that requires preparation and a strong strategic focus.
leadership and management is different and most company will need both because leaders are visionaries and managers are the one that make it happen with the team.
Managers and leaders are two distinctly different roles; both offer advantages and are valuable to an organization.
I have learned the difference between leadership and management, and they are not interchangeable. They work together as the visionaries and the ones that implement. Leaders can be created through learning and development, demonstrating it to be a myth that leaders are born.
A manager needs a good leader in order to get goals accomplished.
A leader can be a manager, but a manager is not always necessarily a leader.
A leader shapes the vision and strategy, while a manager ensures the tactics are executed.
