Differentiating Leadership and Management Roles: BT Group Report

This report analyzes the roles of leaders and managers within the context of BT Group plc, a multinational telecommunications company. It begins by defining and differentiating the characteristics, functions, and roles of managers and leaders, highlighting the key responsibilities of each. The report then delves into a comparative analysis, contrasting managers' focus on planning, organizing, directing, and controlling with leaders' emphasis on setting vision, motivating employees, and bridging the gap between management and workers. Furthermore, the report applies various management and leadership theories, including scientific management, democratic leadership, transformational leadership, and transactional leadership, to explain the practical application of these concepts within BT Group. The conclusion summarizes the significance of both managers and leaders in driving organizational success. Finally, the report includes references to relevant academic sources.

Management and
operations

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................1
P1 ....................................................................................................................................................1
Defining different role and characteristics ............................................................................1
M1....................................................................................................................................................3
Analysis through a range of theories......................................................................................3
CONCLUSION ...............................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES ...............................................................................................................................6

INTRODUCTION
Management and operations are mainly associated with the efficient administration of
business practices in order to create and lead highest level of efficiency that is possible within the
organisation (Lamba and Singh, 2017). The organisation selected for this assignment is BT
group plc which is a British multinational telecommunication company headquartered in
London, UK. This report includes a description about difference between role of leader and
function of a manager.
P1
Defining different role and characteristics
Both managers and leaders plays a crucial and vital role in success of an organisation
through effectively performing various important roles and functions with in an organisation
(UNDERSTANDING THE DIFFERENCES: LEADERSHIP VS. MANAGEMENT, 2020). A
description and comparison among important role and characteristic of managers and leaders of
BT plc is provided below:
Manager
A manager is basically an individual that posses significant level of expertise and
knowledge in a specific filed and have the maximum responsibility to supervise and coordinate
the efforts and activities of its subordinates and employees (Mehta, Mittra and Yadav, 2018). In
BT plc the managers are responsible for maintaining an effective coordination among employees
and various activities in order to achieve organisational goals in a best possible way. The main
characteristics, role and functions of manager in BT plc are as follows:
Characteristics of manager
The main characteristics of manager of BT plc includes an ability to execute a vision to
provide a roadmap to direct and control its employees. Besides this, the managers of BT plc also
have the process management and people focused trait to effectively establish rules, standards
and operating procedure for its workforce together with involving and effectively engaging these
employees for achievement of desired goals.
Functions and role of managers
The main functions and role of managers in BT plc includes:
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Planning- Managers is responsible for setting effective plans and strategies to provide a
roadmap and framework to employees of BT plc.
Organising- After placing an effective plan, the managers of BT plc plays a crucial role
in delegating work and granting authority to employees in order to properly organise the efforts
and actions of employees.
Directing- The managers if BT plc are also responsible for providing proper guidance
and encouragement to its employees in order to direct their efforts in a unique direction to
achieve set goals and objectives (Perakis, 2019).
Controlling- to keep a continuous check and timely monitor the performance and
efficiency of employees is also a crucial function of managers of BT plc that ensure timely
corrective actions to keep its employees on track to achieve targets in a best possible way.
Leader
A leader is an individuals that possess the capability to influence and motivate any person
to make them able to act and perform their work in a more effective way (Solomon, 2018). The
leaders of BT plc are having a responsibility to create a positive environment at workplace
trough motivating and providing proper guidance to employees in order to enhance their
performance. The main characteristic and role of leaders of BT plc are as follows:
Characteristic of leader
The main characteristic of leader of BT plc includes honesty and integrity to inspire its
team to effectively en-roll and charting them on path of success. Beside this, an ability to accept
challenges and effective communication skills are posses by leaders of BT plc that provide
courage to think creatively and also keeps the team informed about all relevant aspects to
enhance their performance.
Role of leader
The main roles performed by the leaders of BT plc are as follows:
Setting vision- The leaders of BT plc are responsible to set a vision for employees in
order to persuade the subordinates to work with confidence and zeal to achieve the desired
targets.
Motivating- It is the primary function of leaders of BT plc to provide proper motivation
to employees through effective guanidine and communication to enhance their performance.
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Link between management and workers- The leader of BT plc act a link between
management and workers through properly interpreting the policies and programmes of
management and communicating theses polices with its subordinates in order and keep a balance
between interest of subordinates and overall objectives of organisation (Whelan, Sarmiento and
Sprenger, 2018).
A comparison between leaders and managers of BT plc is provided in the following table:
Basis Manager Leader
Role The main role of mangers of BT
plc includes building effective
systems and process in order to
have better planning, organising
and controlling over various
operations.
The main role of leaders of BT
plc includes building better
relationship with employees in
order to encourage and influence
them to have better performance
(UNDERSTANDING THE
DIFFERENCES: LEADERSHIP
VS. MANAGEMENT, 2020).
Characteristics The managers of BT plc are more
conservative and have the
characteristic of avoiding high risk
in order the maintain the viability
and smooth function of
organisation.
The leaders of BT plc are having
a characteristic of risk taker in
order to encourage and motivate
its subordinates for more
creativity and innovation.
Skills Use of hard management skills are
made by BT plc like effective
technical knowledge, etc. are made
to drive and produce effective
results (Lamba and Singh, 2017).
Use of soft leadership skills are
made by BT plc such as
communication, beliefs, etc. to
inform and reinforce employees
in an effective manner.
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M1
Analysis through a range of theories
On the basis of above discussion it can be analysed that managers and leaders are having
different roles and characteristics to direct and motivate employees for achievement of
organisational goal. A analysis of this fact is provided below through applying a range of
theories and concepts in context of BT plc:
Concept Manager Leader
Scientific management
v/s
Democratic leadership
Use of scientific management
theory is made by mangers of BT
plc as it facilitates a better and
more practical approach to
properly plan and organise the
various activities to ensure
effective functioning and working
of organisation. For example : use
of four principles of scientific
management theory i.e. harmony,
science, cooperation and
development of each and every
person facilitates better
coordination at workplace of BT
plc to accomplish day to day work
in more efficient way.
Use of democratic leadership
style is made by leaders of BT
plc to facilitates better
participation and involvement of
all employees in decision making
process that ensures a high level
of encouragement and motivation
in employees to perform their
task in more effective way
(Mehta, Mittra and Yadav,
2018).
Transformational v/s
Transactional
Leadership.
Use of Transactional
communication or leaderships
style is made by managers of BT
plc where use of both reward and
punishment are made by them to
have better control over
operations and performance of
Use of Transformational
leadership style is made by the
leaders of BT plc in order to
provide proper guidance to
employees through effectively
engaging with them and also
identify needed changes to
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employees. For instance, timely
rewards, incentives and perks are
provided to an efficient
employees in order to encourage
them to have same and better
performance in future while
punishment in form of demotions
and other threats is exerted on an
unproductive employee in order
to improve efficiency (Perakis,
2019).
inspire employees for better
performance. Thus, through
making use of transformational
leadership style leaders of BT plc
creates valuable and positive
changes in its subordinates to
encourage, inspire and motivate
employees to effectively shape
the future growth and success of
organisation.
CONCLUSION
On the basis of above report it can be concluded that both mangers and leaders are vital
part of organisation that perform various role and functions for success of an organisation.
Planning, organising, directing and controlling are the important functions of managers while
setting vision, motivating and keeping balance between workers and management are crucial role
of leaders. Use of scientific management theory is made by managers to ensure coordination
while democratic leadership style is used by leaders to have proper participation within
organisation.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Lamba, K. and Singh, S. P., 2017. Big data in operations and supply chain management: current
trends and future perspectives. Production Planning & Control. 28(11-12), pp.877-890.
Mehta, G., Mittra, G. and Yadav, V. K., 2018, September. Application of IoT to optimize data
center operations. In 2018 International Conference on Computing, Power and
Communication Technologies (GUCON) (pp. 738-742).IEEE.
Perakis, G., 2019. Data Analytics in Operations Management: A Review. arXiv. Org.
Solomon, E. D., 2018. Risk Management and Insurance Issues for Your UAS Operations: Are
You Prepared. RAIL. 1. p.111.
Whelan, G., Sarmiento, R. and Sprenger, J., 2018. Universal-deterministic and probabilistic
hypotheses in operations management research: a discussion paper. Production
Planning & Control. 29(16). pp.1306-1320.
Online :
UNDERSTANDING THE DIFFERENCES: LEADERSHIP VS. MANAGEMENT. 2020. [Online].
Available through: <https://www.go2hr.ca/retention-engagement/understanding-the-
differences-leadership-vs-management>
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