The difference between management and leadership - Essay Example

Running Head: THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MANAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP The Difference between Management and Leadership Client’s s Name March 18, 2011 In my experience as a previous part-time student, leadership and management are two highly important fundamentals of a successful organization. Any form of leadership will not be as successful as it is expected to be without any knowledge and capabilities in management, and vice versa. Leadership and management have to go together in order to lead the organization towards the fulfillment of its goals.

There is, in fact, a great deal of difference between leadership and management but the best way to differentiate one from another is their basic purpose in an organization. Management is a function—encompassing directing people and controlling resources, implementing and enacting various operations in accordance with the established values—that every organization must exercise. For instance, the manager from my previous workplace exhibited an excellent job in managing the team. He had a comprehensive grasp of the company’s values and principles, and thus he knew exactly how to handle the people and the resources available towards achieving our goals.

He told us what to accomplish within a certain timeframe to keep everyone working in line with the company’s goals and objectives. As a manager, he also did good at planning things around the office and facilitating activities which had to be completed. Leadership, on the other hand, is more focused on the relationship between the leader and his/her people that can motivate them to work hard and strengthen the bonds existing within the organization. In my previous job, I can say that my manager was also a good leader.

He was not just there to tell people what and what not to do. He was also there to support us and coach us whenever he felt that some pieces of information and skills were missing. Furthermore, as a leader he was, above all, concerned about the competence and values of his people. Each time he instructed us to do something he always considered our skills and expertise, and gave us responsibilities which were meaningful to us.