What are the differences between Leadership and Management

Differences Between Leadership and Management

The difference between leadership and management lies in the actions that are taken in the process of change during the decision-making process. How the leaders make their decisions impacts the people around them, and also demonstrates what type of leaders they are based on these decisions. 

 Leadership is vision focused when making decisions, versus the day to day smaller decisions that management may make. Leadership and Management go hand in hand, you do need both.  As Coleman and Glover (2010) explain “leadership is closely associated with visions and values”, and “managing a change in vision and values is a prime aspect of a leader’s role” (p.14). Leadership is the process of understanding visions and values, and making decisions based on these vision and values. While management demonstrates the action that demonstrates the day to day decision within the process of change. In my own experience, when a new guideline is introduced, it is mandatory that we (as long-term care facilitators) put it into place. How we put the guideline into place is depending on our own systems that we currently have in place that go along with our vision. This demonstrates Leadership, based on leaders making decisions on how to put the guideline into place, while keeping our values and vision in mind when making the decision.  When leading, we (as leaders) align the new process with our current vision, and give those expectations to the facilities with a guideline to follow. Now each facility is different, so they will need to make some adjustments, by the main guidelines will still need to be followed. This decision made by the facility, show the management of the process. When the facilities manage this new guideline, they are making the day to day changes they need too as problems arise. If the facility finds that the system cannot adapt to both processes, they will be able to make the necessary changes needed in order to keep on task (the facility is demonstrating a managing technique). 

According to Burns, Sorenson, Goethals (2004) states that “most decisions are made behind closed doors, yet they often define an individual’s leadership better than public appearances”, also that “how decisions are framed, informed, and executed thus has much to do with the quality of leadership that results” (p.316-317).  This is an important indicator. Our corporate office is full of leaders, these leaders are the ones making the main decisions on how our process work every day. The facilities have their own leaders, but they see themselves as managers. When it comes to making the main decisions, the administrators are bound by what corporate sees is mandatory. How the process is to take place within their facilities is based on their own decisions, they are managing the process. The administrators are also seen as leaders because there are situations, where the decisions are theirs alone. The decision that Corporate, or the administrator, make are judged by the staff in how they affect them (staff). If the staff members feel as if the decisions that were made is not beneficial to them or their communities, they will see that leader as being an inefficient leader. When it is a decision that is forced by the corporate office, the staff do not look at the administrator as if they are an inefficient leader, they blame the leaders within the corporate office. 

The way in which the decision is made is important in how the decision will affect the people around them. If the leader does not take into account how the decision will affect the people around them, they are likely to make a decision that will negatively affect the people they are leading. The leader will be looked at as a bad leader, who does not have the peoples interest in mind when they are making their decisions. This will affect the leader’s ability to lead effectively. 

Burns, J. M., Sorenson, G. J., Goethals, G. R., & Sage Publications, I. (2004). 

Encyclopedia of Leadership. Thousand Oaks, Calif: SAGE Publications, Inc. 

Coleman, M., & Glover, D. (2010). Educational Leadership and Management: 

Developing Insights and Skills. Maidenhead: McGraw-Hill Education.