Leadership and Management
Leadership can be described as the process through which an individual (in this case a leader) influences a group of people towards the realization of a common objective. Management on the other hand can be viewed as decision making procedure; it entails the organization and coordination of organizational activities with respect to policies and with aim of achieving a particular goal (Miner, 2005). The main difference between management and leadership is that leadership involves the establishment of a new direction and vision for a group of people while management involves directing and controlling of people or resources based on already established principles and values. Leaders are basically responsible for establishment of organizational mission while leaders are responsible for the implementation of the established missions (Magnusson, 1995).
Successful managers have distinctive traits from ordinary managers. One of such traits is that a successful leader is charismatic and transformational. A charismatic leader is able to achieve persuasion from his/her followers; he aims at more than just extrinsic rewards and focuses on transformational benefits (Heifetz, 1994). A successful leader uses transformational style; implying that a successful leader appeals to his followers and inspires them towards a given direction. Ordinary managers are authoritative and transactional; implying that they rely on authoritative powers vested in them to make their subordinates work for them. They use the transactional style of management; they completely rely on their subordinates to complete a given task (Littlemore, 2003).
Another distinctive trait is that successful leaders have self confidence; this means that they trust their own abilities to accomplish tasks. Ordinary managers on the hand lack this trait; they are completely dependent on their subordinates to accomplish tasks for them. A practical example is a situation whereby a leader undertakes the duties of his followers irrespective of positional rank. In doing so, the successful leader appeals to his followers. In the same situation an ordinary manager can’t undertake the tasks of his subordinates due to positional rank.
Successful leaders are flexible, implying that they can adapt to the changing needs and situation of their followers. Ordinary managers are rigid; they can’t adjust to the needs of their subordinates, they work under policies that can’t be changed. Successful managers are aimed at ensuring the task is done efficiently while ordinary managers ensure that the right task is done rightly. Successful leaders have cognitive abilities; they can interpret large quantities of information and offer directions accordingly. They are also honest and have integrity which means that they efficient, open to criticism and suggestions can be relied on (Gianakis, 2004).
Decision making approaches
Rational-economic model approach to decision making involves a series of sequential procedures aimed at reaching the required set of objectives. The following steps are deployed towards realization of the best solution: identification of the problem or opportunity, identification of criteria for decision making, allocation of weights to the criteria, identification of possible alternatives and selection of the best alternatives that maximizes utility(Simon, 1997). The administrative model approach to decision making focuses on organizational goals rather than maximization of economic utility (Gortner, 2001). The administrative model is based on a bounded rationality; meaning that individuals have limitations on how rational they can be. It’s also satisficing; meaning that decision makers choose the first alternative to the solution that satisfies minimal decision criteria. The image theory approach to decision making is a descriptive approach whereby decision makers represent the solution to a problem in terms of images which consists of principles necessary for the achievement of the goals (Simon, 1982).
References
Magnusson, D. (1995). Holistic interactionism: A perspective for research on personality development. In L. A. Pervin & O. P. John (Eds.), Handbook of personality: Theory and research . New York: Guilford Press.
Gianakis, G.A. (2004) Decision Making and Managerial Capacity in the Public Sector, In: Holzer, M., Lee, Public Productivity Handbook. New York: Marvel Dekker Inc.
Gortner, H. F. (2001).Values and ethics. In: Cooper, T.L., ed. Handbook of Administrative Ethics. New York: Marvel Dekker.
Simon, H.A., (1982). Models of Bounded Rationality Volume 2 Behavioral Economics and Business Organization. London: The MIT Press.
Simon, H.A. (1997) Administrative Behaviour.New York: The Free Press
Heifetz, Ronald (1994). Leadership without Easy Answers. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Miner, J. B. (2005). Organizational Behavior: Behavior 1: Essential Theories of Motivation and Leadership. Armonk: M.E. Sharpe.
Tittemore, James A. (2003). Leadership at all Levels. Canada: Boskwa Publishing.
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