manager should be a leader Essay -- essays research papers

manager should be a leader What is leadership? How is it different from being a manager? How can leaders keep their finger on the pulse of what's happening, inspire others to high achievement, guide their team members through difficult decisions, and still have time to actually finish a cup of coffee while it's still warm? The solution is disarmingly simple: Ask questions. Listen to the answers. Ask some more questions. Give good answers to questions asked by others. Easier said than done.The Relationship of Leadership and Management In general, the middle of the road viewpoints hold that: 1) although there are many overlaps, leadership and management are different things, involving differing skills, behaviors, and viewpoints; 2) those who use only leadership skills, behaviors, and viewpoints are ineffective in organizations that have significant administrative components; 3) those who use only management skills, behaviors, and viewpoints are ineffective in organizations that have significant human components; and 4) in organizations having both administrative and human components, only those who use an appropriate balance of management and leadership skills, behaviors, and viewpoints can be effective. As an example, William Wallace (who most of us Anglos know as "Braveheart") would have been completely ineffective leading the Scots to victory over the English if he were to have used only management skills. Conversely, the proprietor of a financial management business would probably relate to her clients well but wouldn't make much money for them if she were to use only leadership skills. Carter McNamara, MBA, PhD, wrote that leadership is a facet of management. He wrote, "Leadership is just one of the many assets a successful manager must possess. Care must be taken in distinguishing between the two concepts. The main aim of a manager is to maximize the output of the organization through administrative implementation. To achieve this, managers must undertake the following functions: †¢ organization †¢ planning †¢ staffing †¢ directing †¢ controlling Leadership is just one important component of the directing function." If effective management requires us to practice good management skills and effective leadership requires us to practice good leadership skills, and both are needed to do our jobs as SGLs well; then first we need an ... ...t;Leaders don't inflict pain. They bear pain." - Max DePree Ah well! I am their leader, I really ought to follow them! - Alexandre Auguste Ledru-Rollin When the effective leader is finished with his work, the people say it happened naturally. - Lao Tse I start with the premise that the function of leadership is to produce more leaders, not more followers - Ralph Nader Lead and inspire people. Don't try to manage and manipulate people. Inventories can be managed but people must be lead. - Ross Perot The quality of a leader is reflected in the standards they set for themselves. - Ray Kroc, Founder of McDonald's The task of the leader is to get his people from where they are to where they have not been. - Henry Kissinger Think of managing change as an adventure. It tests your skills and abilities. It brings forth talent that may have been dormant. Change is also a training ground for leadership. When we think of leaders, we remember times of change, innovation and conflict. Leadership is often about shaping a new way of life. To do that, you must advance change, take risks and accept responsibility for making change happen. - Charles E. Rice, CEO of Barnett Bank