Can Managers Be Trained Leaders? Leadership Theories and M&S

This report investigates the question of whether managers can be trained to become effective leaders, differentiating between leadership and management concepts. It begins by outlining the core differences between leadership and management, emphasizing the distinct roles and responsibilities of each. The report then delves into a comparison of two prominent leadership theories: trait theory and behavioral theory. Trait theory focuses on inherent qualities, while behavioral theory emphasizes learned behaviors. The analysis includes the effectiveness of leadership selection and training programs, particularly within the context of Mark and Spencer (M&S), a major retail company. Finally, the report concludes by presenting coherent arguments that support the potential for managers to develop into leaders, supported by the theories discussed and practical implications for organizational development. This report provides a comprehensive overview of leadership and management, offering valuable insights for aspiring leaders and organizations alike.

CAN MANAGERS BE
TRAINED LEADERS

Table of Contents
CAN MANAGERS BE TRAINED LEADERS..............................................................................1
INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................3
ASSESMENT ................................................................................................................................3
1. Differentiation between leadership and management concept ...............................................3
2. Comparison between two theories of leadership....................................................................5
3. Effectiveness of leadership selection and training programmes in the context of M&S........8
4. Coherent arguments ........................................................................................................11
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................12
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................12
Books and journals....................................................................................................................12
Online .......................................................................................................................................12

INTRODUCTION
Leaders are the main body of an organisation which helps in showing the right path to
subordinates and also helps in achieving the target and pass all the barriers which restricts an
organisation in its growth(Cooper, et. al., 2011). On the other hand managers helps in managing
all the activities which are taking place in an organisation. Both of them are important at each
and every level of a firm. So, business productivity can be increased and their work can be
improved. It can not be wrong if we say that managers can be the good leaders. If it have some
leadership qualities and use all the theories which can apply by the leader then it can be said that
a manager is a good leader.
Present report is based on this concern that can a manager be the good leader. If yes, so,
what are the major things that a manager should have to do and what are the theories which it
should be apply to became a good leader. All such things are based on the Mark and spencer
which is a largest retail trade company in UK.
ASSESMENT
1. Differentiation between leadership and management concept
A leader is a one who combines the whole group and promotes them to do the integrated
work with a purpose of achievement of goal and targets of an organisation. According to the
concept of leadership it is a person who leads or guides the whole team or organisation with the
help of its skills and behaviour. It can be an innovative person with a creative mind who helps to
the whole firm in its success. This is not so much broad concept because a there is one leader in
any group who leads the team and enforce them to work together and promotes the feeling of
togetherness(Allio, 2012).
A manager is that person who helps in the organisation to manage all the functions and
activities in a firm. It helps to all the employees to work effectively and provide growth to them
and also helps in analyse the whole functions of management to work properly and
systematically.
On the other hand concept of management is vast and broad, it includes all the functions
which are taking place in an organisation as well as leadership is also includes in this term. There
are five basic functions of a management which are:
1. Planning

2. Organising
3. Staffing
4. Directing
5. Controlling
These all the functions which helps in an organisation to run smoothly without any
barrier and restriction. At planning stage, it helps in making the plans and goals of an
organisation on which the organisation can work(Dwyer, 2011).
On organising level, they combine all the things from where they allocate resources and
how these resources can be work.
At staffing, firm start assigning duties to each and every employee according to their
capability. Staffing includes the recruitment procedure, selection process and all such things
from which human resource can be allocate and helps in achieving targets.
Managers and leaders start providing direction to the subordinates so all task can be attain
and result can became possible for each and every stage. This function is known as the directing
because directions are providing to them(Hamel,2011).
At controlling functions, whole control and monitoring process is taking place. Leaders
and managers start monitoring out all the work which is doing by the subordinates. So, that
effective result can be taking out and productivity can be increased. All functions are helpful and
also the part of the management because with the help of them management process can became
successful.
Both of the terms have different nature and have some majors differences between them
like management includes leadership and also all the functions which are performed by the
leaders are also includes in it. All the work which is done by the leader is a benefit for a firm. So,
it can be said that it is a broad term where as leadership is a narrow and short term. The major
differences of these two terms are as follow:
S.no. Leadership concept Management concept
1 It is very difficult for a leader
to manage whole team as
together and provide
motivation along with that
inspired them to do work in a
Management is set of
functions which are
continuously taking place in an
organisation without even a
single break. Such functions

proper manner. are planning, staffing,
directing, controlling etc.
2 The work of a leader is to help
in accomplish the target which
is set by the management with
effective combination of work
of whole team.
Management work is to
establish projects, task which
helps in providing growth to
them.
3 The main work of leader is to
motivate employees to attain
the target. Also it have to
inspire that how this
accomplishment help in their
own growth.
Mainly they formulate goals
and objectives on which whole
organisation have to work.
They are not engaging such
activities of like inspiration but
a manager is engaged in this
concern.
Both these terms have the same objective which is target fulfilment but their works are
different in nature like leaders helps in achieving targets which are maintain by the management.
They also helps in motivating, providing guidance for the goals to the subordinates which are
maintain by management(Kohlrieser, 2011).
2. Comparison between two theories of leadership
Leadership theories are based on the traits, characteristics and skills of leaders which are
helpful in making an organisation successful. All theories are different from each other and they
have their own significance. In Mark and Spencer, there are two theories which are helpful for
them in their business success. Every leader is different in its nature and researchers differentiate
them on those basis. The two famous theories of leadership are trait theory and behavioural
theory. In both the theories different nature and prospect of leadership are defined and there
elaboration is described under as follow:
Traits theory: According to this theory it simplifies that qualities of leadership are from
birth and that will excel them in leader role. All the qualities, nature of successful leaders can be
measure in any person easily in its early age. It can be also said that all such qualities are

inherited from its parents, guardians etc. The qualities are intelligence, sense of responsibility,
creativeness and some other values which make them different from others in young
age(Longenecke, 2010).
This theory helps in analysing all the characteristics of social, mental and physical
appearance in a leader and what are the combination of such qualities which are common in all.
These are the birth born qualities which make them different from others who are non leader.
In leadership traits following are the qualities which are specifies individually on each
aspect:
1. Ambition and energy: They have some ambition to do in their life which is different from
others along with that their dreams are also very high. They are energetic in nature and
keep motivating their subordinates at every time.
2. Desire to lead: They have some desire to lead their team. They always want to guide all
the subordinates and take the initiative for every task.
3. Honest and integrated: Such type of leaders are hones in nature from they birth and they
always adopt right path for work with ethical feeling. Along with that they also promotes
the integrated work of an organisation and helps their team to achieve their target in
effective nature(McDermott and Archibald ,2010)
4.
5. Self-confidence: Leader should have to maintain faith and confidence in them and always
have to get prepare for any situation and task. They have to maintain their confidence and
not get over confident for anything.
6. Intelligence: From their birth, they are intelligent which differentiate them from others.
Their intelligence can be shown in their study, nature and at that time when they have to
use their specific nature.
7. Job relevant knowledge: Leader should have to get aware about their job in which they
are going to engage. Every leader should have specific knowledge about the job clearly.
But this theory have its limitation which is that there is no special traits found in any
leader for every situation. Every leader take different action in different situation. Their actions
are not even same as each other. Each leader have different personality and their mental state is
also differ from each other.

Behavioural theory: The behavioural theory is depend upon on the behaviour of a person
where its mental, social and physical characteristics are included. This shows that what type of
behaviour is consist of them and how they behave with each and every situation whether they are
favourable or unfavourable. There behaviour are different from other non leaders and this verify
that they have some quality of leadership(Mintzberg, 2013).
According to behavioural theory leadership traits can be taught and not by birth born.
Leaders can be made and their qualities are not by birth. The behaviour of a leader shows that
how effectively its working with the help of taking results in consideration. If the outcome is
positive then it can be summarised that behaviour is also positive and equal with each other
otherwise not. They are the trained leaders.
The leaders can be made and not learnt everything from born so, it simplifies that they
learnt that how to react in any specific situation. Task oriented leaders are only concern with the
task and productivity which is the main work of cited organisation and along with that they also
provide motivation to their staff. They can be job centred leaders where they pay close attention
to them to make them understand about whole work and its procedure also. Along with that they
also examine the performance of them, so, that they can work properly(Muenjohn, 2015).
People oriented leaders focus on the inner needs of the people and their satisfaction. People
oriented leaders are also be termed as the employee based leader behaviour in which they
attempt to build effective groups with high performance goals. Both of the styles are opposite to
each other in which one of them is more likely to focus on the effective group performance.
Behavioural theory consist of the following terms:
1. It can be learn from anywhere and these are not by birth.
2. These leaders are mainly depend upon their nature and they also have desire to lead the
team and helps them in achieve the task.
3. They also promotes integration function like trait theory in the concern of organisation.
4. They are not intelligent from birth but they learn these skills after they get matured and
for the work in which they are interested.
5. They can face any situation without any hesitation because they learn it.
6. Such leaders accept any situation and work on that with accepting any condition.
7. Leaders are totally depend upon on their nature of work and also helps in taking care the
interest of an individual as well as promotes the task or project also.

The basic limitation of this theory is that leaders are not birth born and they can be easily
get feared from any situation. This leads in demoting the productivity of an organisation due to
leader threat. Trait theory states that leaders qualities are from born and they can easily survive
in any situation but in behavioural theory this concept is not get followed. Hence, it is one of the
major drawback and limitation of this theory(Oakland, 2011).
In Mark & Spencer, they have to choose such type of leaders which can be easily survive
in any situation without get fear from risk factor. For this purpose trait leaders are one of the best
thing which they can choose. By selecting an appropriate leader company have to examine its
overall performance and then they have to take decision(Stah, 2011).
This decision will be the key factor for them because such leaders helps in maintain the
quality and growth of an organisation. If they are going to choose such leaders who follow
behavioural theory then it can be not suitable for them because they fascinate from such situation
easily.
The behaviour theory is not appropriate for work whereas the trait theory is suitable for
working in an organisation and it should have to be adopt by an organisation so their efficiency
can be increased and targets can be achieved.
3. Effectiveness of leadership selection and training programmes in the context of M&S
Leaders are the backbone of an organisation, without any leader all employees are going
to work in different directions. A leader is that person who helps in providing guidance and path
to the firm so, that their result can became effective and their productivity can also improved.
Leaders helps in doing all task properly and helps to management to work properly. They
are the essential for a firm. In M&S leaders are compulsory and their functions helps them in
their growth. Because it is an large organisation so, they have to manage their whole work
according to that.
Their is no leader in an organisation, they are the managers who hold this post. So,
company have to provide proper training to their managers which helps them in became a leader
from manager. Also, firm have to adopt appropriate selection method through which they can
find out a person who have some qualities of leader which are in its traits. And on that individual
they can work and made them leader. This part is termed as the behavioural leader. Some steps
which are helpful in selecting better managers who can became leader are as follow:

1. Communication skills: A better and effective leader have good communication skills
which helps him to communicate with each other without any problem. It also helps in
transferring the appropriate information which helps in improving the productivity and
growth. From that output can be increased. Another thing is that by using better and
effective communication skill conflicts can also be minimise(Pulakoet. al., 2015).
This decline helps in making the better relationship. Manager in Mark and
Spencer have to get selected on this basis along with that company also have to take care about
that they have to implement behavioural leadership skill in that individual. This can helps him to
became a good leader which further helps in making a manager to be a good leader.
They have to adopt such things from which such managers get trained and became leader.
Some steps are:
1. Firm have to conduct regular classes for this concern so, that this skill can be more
improved.
2. They can conduct seminars in which such person have to give a speech which helps in
reducing the hesitation from it(Rock, 2014).
3. Monthly meetings can also be the another thing which helps in this prospect.
4. Extra activities in an organisation have to be conducted so the proper interaction between
each other can be maintained.
Motivation skill: According to this skill is person is to be get motivated and also
motivates others. This is the basic work of a leader because it helps in motivate others and
encourage its subordinates to work hard and achieve their goal. In the cited firm managers have
to adopt this skill because this skill helps in making a manager to leader.
Motivation can be in the form of appreciation, financially etc. with the help of this
effective output can be gain. This skill can also be learn and company have to arrange some
programmes which helps in this field. Like management can provide financial incentive or
promotion which is a type of motivation. All such motivational things are helpful for an
employee and also for a manager because if a manager notice such type of activities in an
organisation then its nature automatically got changed. So, motivation is compulsory. Some steps
which have to follow by cited firm are as follow:
1. Organisation have to use some methods which are helpful in making a person encourage
for performing task.

2. Motivation can be in the form of monetary or non monetary.
3. These motivational programmes have to be conducted by the manager so, that all such
factors can be easily understandable to him.
These factors helps in making a effective manager into a leader. Like leader manager also
have to motivate its employees. If one subordinate got encouraged it inspire other to perform task
in a significant manner(Schillebeeckx, Maricque and Lewis ,2013).
Eager to gain: This is not a type of skill but it is found in each and every manager and
leader. They also get ready to earn something. A manager and leader always wants to learn
something. They get learnt several things and then apply on business. This helps in making the
result effective so, that they can earn more and more profit. Behind this profit criteria, their self
goal is actually found. They get extra bonus, increment in salary and several other things from
which they get motivated. This can also be termed as the part of motivational skill.
Also, a manager always get ready to learn something. For this purpose it became able to
learn the leadership skills which helps in creating a environment where it can play the dual role
of a leader as well as of a manager(Sullivan, 2010).
Manager always wants to achieve something in its corporate life with the help of learning
leadership quality it can manage whole organisation. Along with that it also helps in taking the
position of leader because a leader leads the team and a manager is a part of the team.
Leader is more beneficial than a manager because manager only monitors the things but a
leader leads the group of people and make them a team who works in the favour of organisation
along with their mutual benefits of themselves.
Implications of this selection and trained programme:
1. After providing proper training it helps in achieving the targets properly. Appropriate
selection method helps in choosing the right candidate for making leader. This leads to
increase the efficiency of an organisation.
2. Trained manager leads to work in any direction because now it became leader and a
leader can face any situation and barrier easily. This helps in providing the proper
guidance to everyone.
3. Now they became able to perform any task of any situation which helps in making an
environment healthier and friendly. The team of an individual can become more powerful
because manager performing dual task.

4. Now manager can apply its managerial skill in leadership. This helps in making the
functioning of an organisation smooth. This smooth functioning promotes effective
working in an organisation.
5. Trained managers can work with more will because now they became leaders and leader
can handle any situation. Now they became able to take risk and minimise the risk factor
with their strength of skills.
6. This learning of skills arise as their strength through which any condition get face off
with adequate methods. These methods and techniques will also work in inspiring the
employees to work with full efficiency.
These are the positive aspects behind providing training techniques because it helps in
achieving the targets effectively with the help of managers who became leader. This technique
also helps in reducing the cost of appointing leaders specifically. Now their managers became
leaders so, their cost is not increasing. Managers are performing the task of both leaders and
managers. Their are some negative aspects also behind this purpose(Zinn, 2010).
1. They are performing the task of both so, it became hard for them to performing the
personality of dual aspects which may sometimes arise barrier.
2. These managers became extra trained and learn the skills of leaders also, hence, they can
apply to some other company where they can find better opportunity.
3. This thing also leads in making the feeling of superiors from others, and managers will
not treat everyone to its same level. It may arise the feeling of jealousy and conflicts start
arising in an organisation.
4. Due to conflicts and over confidence and feeling of superiority, it may affect the
organisational efficiency.
This prospect have the both implications negative and positive, so, organisation have to
work on such things from which they can reduce the number of negative implications.
4. Coherent arguments
Yes managers can became leader with the help of appropriate training and development
techniques. By providing proper training it helps them in making managers leaders. It can only
be done because their behaviour got changed according to that. Behavioural leaders are the
leaders who are made but not by birth((Tahi and Sajjad, 2013).

It can only be done with the help of providing special training to them which helps in
their development of skills of leader. Also organisation have to conducts seminars in which their
communication skills get developed. Motivational skills taught them to motivate their
subordinates. All such factors are helpful in making a manager to be the trained leader. A trained
leader helps in improving the growth as well as increase the productivity. Some steps which are
in the favour of this argument are:
1. Training and development programmes: It helps in making the manager to leader by
providing appropriate training to them. This training makes them and start building the
qualities of leaders in to them. These are those leaders which are made by the
organisation for their welfare. Behind this improvement their interest is that it helps in
increasing the organisational efficiency and effectiveness. This is the core part which
helps in creating the name of an organisation at global level(Wagner, 2014).
This training procedure leads them towards their development. This development
is necessary for them not for an organisation but for their individual interest and development.
2. Communication development: In this manner, company have to provide proper
communication skills to them so, any information will not get rigid in its nature
and became easy and understandable. Along with that it also helps them in
reducing the conflicts in an organisation. Another thing which helps in this
manner is that their subordinates will going to easily communicate with them
which is necessary. So, that important information can be conducted in the given
manner.
This is very important because for a leader effective communication skill is compulsory. It is the
leader who helps in simplifying the task and make that easy to understand(Waldman, Balthazard
and Peterso, 2011).
Their communication skills can also be developed with the help of conducting seminars ,
conferences in which whole conduction is taking place by the leaders. Which helps in removing
their hesitation and they became able to communicate everything in a prospective manner.
3. This development also helps in their performance because they get encourage,
motivated with this promotion. This helps in making them effective and efficient
workers.