A Summary of: “Leadership versus Management: How They Are Different, And Why.”
Summer Luster
LIS 5023
September 1, 2011
Toor, Shamas-Ur-Rehman and George Ofori. “Leadership versus Management: How They Are Different, And Why.” Leadership & Management in Engineering 2 (April 2008): 61-71. Ebscohost: (31295576).
The terms leadership and management are used interchangeably in most workplaces across the United States. Both terms indicate authority within an organization. In the article “Leadership versus Management: How They Are Different, And Why.” Shamas-Ur-Rehman Toor and George Ofori argue that management and leadership are two entirely different roles. They compare and contrast the definitions, history, conceptual ideas, and behavioral practices of management and leadership. Finally, Toor and Ofori conclude that though management and leadership are different, organizations need both aspects to function successfully and the two roles should be combined to achieve better results for the organization.
When comparing the definitions of the words, Toor and Ofori note that there is no commonly held definition for leadership. Authors on leadership in academia, business, military and politics all have different perceptions of leadership, and thus different definitions. Though all require a leader to have followers working toward a goal. In contrast, there is an exact and agreed upon definition for the word manager and management functions. These functions consist of reaching goals through planning, organization, leadership, and efficiently using the resources of an organization.
The difference in definability between the two terms could stem from the conceptual differences. The concept of leadership has existed since ancient times, while the concept of management emerged much more recently during the industrialization period in nineteenth and twentieth centuries in response to increasing large and complex organizations. Toor and Ofori indicate that the basic conceptual difference between leadership and management is that leadership can be viewed as power through influence, while management is power through position within the organization.
Next Toor and Ofori review the behavioral and operational difference between managers and leaders. They suggest that managerial behavior is focused on meeting organizational goals set by others, while leadership behavior is more independent and is determined by the individual’s inner values and vision for the future. Leaders determine where an organization is going, and managers figure out how to get there. A leader focuses on strategy while a manager focuses on tactics. A leader is more likely to recognize talent and train employees to match the organizational vision. A manager is more likely to rehire a better resource to get the job done. Managers are viewed as inflexible task masters who seek to reach a predetermined goal or maintain the status quo. Leaders are independent innovative thinkers who challenge the status quo in order to align an organization with their vision for the long-term future.
Despite their seemingly bias descriptions of leadership versus management, Toor and Ofori specifically note that leaders are not better than managers and that labeling one or the other does not change how an organization operates. Organizations need individuals that possess qualities of both leader and manager. However, Toor and Ofori argue that in today’s knowledge based economy, leadership skills are in greater demand than managerial skills. They claim that an organization dominated by managers, rather than leaders with managerial skills, will only dampen innovation from a highly educated staff. Toor and Ofori conclude by suggesting organizations include leadership development activities for all professionals within the organization.