LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Introduction

What is Leadership and Management?  What are their functions in the modern world?

“ Leadership is a process whereby an individual influences a group of individuals to achieve a common goal”( Northouse,2016).

“ Management is a set of processes that can keep a complicated system of people and technology running smoothly”( Kotter,2012).

Functions of Leadership

Main leadership function in the present world is coping with change. Deciding what needs to be done, creating networks of people and relationship that can achieve the task and aligning them towards the task. In other words, setting a direction, developing a vision of the future along with strategies for producing the changes needed to achieve the vision.

Functions of Management

Management function is coping with complexity by planning, budgeting, organizing, staffing, controlling and problem solving. By these functions management focus on achieving the organizational goals.

Conclusion

Leadership and management are two distinctive and complementary systems of action. Both has it’s own functions as well as common functions which is essential for the success in the modern business world where one cannot function without the other. One being strong and the other being weak will not guide the organization to the desired goals.

Successful organizations have strong leadership and strong management which compliment each other to achieve the goals

References:

Kotter, JP 2012, Leading Change, Havard Business School Press, USA.

Kotter, JP 2001, What Leaders Really Do, Havard Business Review, USA.
Northouse, PG 2016, Leadership Theory and Practice ,7^th edn, SAGE Publications, London.