Leadership vs. Management

There are a variety of courses that this post can assist with, these include: BUS 210, BUS 475, HRM 330, HSM 210, 220, 230, 240, MGT 307, MMPBL 530 PSY 210, 270, 300, BPA 301, 302, 303, 406, and many others.

The question of whether someone can be a leader and a manager is a common question in academics. In fact this question is not limited to business topics but is also asked in Human Services, Psychology, and a variety of other courses. I am not sure why but students seem to have a difficult time with this question and answer. I am not sure if they are over thinking it in terms of applying the solution to the particular course or if the synonymous use of the term is confusing. Either way the question seems to give many students problems and I thought that a generic answer might help alleviate some of this confusion. Here are some examples of this type of question that students will face. The question is basically the same in each instance.

Can someone who is a leader not be a manager? Why or why not? Can someone who is a manager not be a leader? 
Can a good manager be a good leader?
Can a good manager be a bad leader? 

There is a fine line between manager and leader. Being a good leader does not necessarily equate with being a good manager.  Managers are often viewed as leaders and while they sometimes serve this function there is a distinction in the roles. Leaders inspire, create and motivate change.  Managers carry out the inspirations of the leadership. Managers are often tasked with maintaining the operations of the organization. This does not leave a large area of creativity or for decision making with regard to the system. When viewed in this light managers can be seen more as caretakers of the organization. There are many managers who are not leaders, we see this commonly in large retail chains. For example, a fast food manager is given systems and rules to follow from how many people to work at which times, and which sales to hold and when. There is little creativity in this situation and change is not the responsibility of the manager. In fact, the only form of leadership that takes place in this structure is that the manager must make sure that the systems and operations are carried out in line with the organizations demands. This situation works both ways in that leaders may not make the best managers because they tend to think outside the box.

Don't struggle on the Homework Mountain!