Leadership and Management: A Detailed Comparative Analysis

This essay delves into the relationship between leadership and management, exploring whether they are interchangeable or distinct functions within a business context. It highlights the core differences, with leadership focusing on motivating and directing employees towards goals, while management emphasizes organizing resources and tasks for efficiency. The essay uses examples from companies like Tesco to illustrate how leaders motivate through rewards and how managers organize workforce effectively. It discusses various perspectives, including those who see them as interchangeable and those who emphasize their differences in planning, budgeting, and empowering staff. The essay further explores leadership styles and management theories such as Theory X and Theory Y, and the contingency theory, providing a comprehensive comparison of their roles in achieving organizational objectives. The essay concludes by highlighting the importance of both leadership and management in driving organizational success, productivity, and employee retention.

Leadership and Business
Management
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Leadership and management both are considered as essential aspect within the business
as with the effective leadership individual can easily direct and lead their employees towards the
goal. On the other hand, management aspect focuses on managing and organizing all the
resources within the organization so that organizational aims are achieved. Leadership is termed
as an effective approach through which leaders within the organization direct and lead the staff
towards achieving goals (Voegtlin and et.al., 2012). On the other hand, management function
within the organization mainly focuses on managing and planning the activities and tasks so that
they can easily achieve the objectives. Therefore, it is stated that for achieving the organizational
goals and objectives business requires both management and leadership concept. The present
essay focuses on understanding relationship between management and leadership as some
authors consider these functions as interchangeably term while some authors distinguish both the
functions within the organization.
Leadership within the organization is considered as an effective method that concentrates
on accomplishing the objectives of business along with motivating and leading employees so that
they can attain the future goals. For example, leader within the giant supermarket like Tesco
renders rewards to employees for their outstanding performance in order to motivate them within
the workplace (Lunenburg, 2011). However, concept of management generally focuses on
managing and organizing the tasks and resources in order to increase the overall productivity and
service quality of organization. For example, with the help of effective management within the
cited organization, manager can get easily succeed in organizing workforce and allocating proper
tasks to each of the employees so that they can easily achieve the stated short term objectives.
Leaders within the organization are the one who provide standardized and frame
guidelines to the staff members and employees so that they can become accountable to render
quality services (Barling, Slater and Kelloway, 2010). However, leader within the organization
must possess ethics that assist them in managing staff effectively that may further put positive
impact on their morale. This will further result in benefiting the organization by increasing their
productivity and enabling retention of employees that improve their performance. On the other
hand, managers are the one manages all the activities, tasks and resources within the firm so that
they can easily perform the tasks and results for accomplishing the goals and objectives.
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As per the view of Anderson and Anderson (2010) leadership and management both
considered as interchangeable terms as both the concept focuses on accomplishing the aims and
objectives of the organization (Anderson and Anderson, 2010). With the management of all the
activities and resources within the enterprise manager requires effective leadership skills so that
they can direct the planned workforce to perform their activities in order to succeed in attaining
objectives. Apart from this, Fletcher and Arnold (2011) has also state that both the concept
focuses on different aspects that is management concentrate on managing activities and other
resources like human, time, physical and equipment etc (Fletcher and Arnold, 2011).
Furthermore, the management concept also focus on different aspects such as planning,
budgeting, coordinating, time management, controlling, problem solving etc. so that manager
within the enterprise can easily achieve the objectives. On the contrary, Meredith-Belbin (2011)
has asserted that leadership concept keep motivate and empower their staff so that they can
render proper services within the organization that further assist in attaining the future goals and
perspectives (Meredith-Belbin, 2011). There are different aspect of leadership that leader use
within the organization for creating conducive organizational culture that support in leading the
staff towards the goals. For instance, vision, motivation, building relationships, counselling,
coaching, mentoring etc. that lead and direct the individual towards attaining the future and long
term goals.
On the contrary Toor and Ofori (2008) has stated that both the terms are different from
each other as leadership inspires staff members within the organization while management plans
the activities and manages workforce so that they can attain the stated goals (Toor and Ofori,
2008). For example, if the ultimate goal of Tesco supermarket is that during festive season, they
need to increase their sales up to 50%. In such situation, leadership function must concentrate on
motivating and encouraging employees to render proper services during the festive season so that
Tesco can easily accomplish the goals. On the other hand, management function focuses on
planning and organizing all the resources in an effective manner so that they may achieve the
target during season. In addition to this, Walumbwa Avolio and Peterson (2008) has also stated
that behaviour of leader within the workplace concentrates on establishing clear vision and
direction so that they can motivate and lead employees towards attaining the long term future
goals. On the contrary, McGurk (2010) has stated that management function focuses on
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planning, controlling, budgeting and setting deadline for the constituted agenda as well as
allocating adequate resources so that they can easily attain the aim (McGurk, 2010).
As per the view of Zaleznik (2001) manager within the organization are the one to whom
managerial function and tasks is being allotted for achieving the desirable outcome through
performing key aspects and function that is organizing or planning (Zaleznik, 2001). On the
other hand, leader within the organization will set the direction and lead their staff to follow the
stated path to attain the future objectives and goals. On the contrary some researcher has also
stated that leader within the organization has creative ideas and passion that support in achieving
the vision while, manager has mindset that is stabilized and analytical. Furthermore, Gagnon
(2012) has also stated that management and leadership both the concept are different from each
other. In order to concern the workplace both the concept use different steps for the process
within the organization (Gagnon, 2012). For instance; for establishing the vision of the giant
supermarket management focuses on different steps such as first management will develop the
plan and allocate estimated budget for the vision. After that they would develop process step and
also set the deadline for accomplishing the activities. On the other hand, Stacey (2012) has stated
that leaders while establishing the vision of Tesco they focuses on steps such as setting direction
where company want to go and develop the vision of company (Stacey, 2012). After that
leadership will also develop the strategic plan for the staff in attaining vision of the firm.
In addition to this, leadership and management concept also have differences while
executing the vision in organization. Voegtlin Patzer and Scherer (2012) has stated that
management while executing the vision control the processes then determine the problem that
arises or will arise while executing the vision in the processes (Voegtlin, Patzer and Scherer,
2012). In addition to this, management soften takes low risk approach for solving the problems
that arises within the organization. On the other hand, leadership concept is totally differ from
the management perspective as leader will motivate and encourage their employees to execute
the vision in their processes (Mendenhall and Osland, 2012). Furthermore, leader while
executing the vision they energizes staff in overcoming the barrier that arises while enabling and
resisting the change. Moreover, leader also differ from the manager as it often take high risk
approach in order to solve the problem that arises within the enterprise.
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Furthermore, according to Trkman (2010) management concept within the organization
also focuses on their relationship with the staffing as it will concentrate on proper job structure as
well as outlined rules and processes that staff has to follow (Trkman, 2010). On the other hand,
leadership concept concentrate on assessing the relation to people or staff rendering services
within the organization that through aligning people, enabling proper communication to direct
them towards the goals etc. moreover, Lunenburg (2011) has also stated that management
function within the organization concentrate on controlling and solving the issues through taking
corrective measures and enabling proper planning of the solution so that they can easily resolve
the issues (Lunenburg, 2011). On the contrary Barling, Slater and Kelloway (2010) has stated
that in the situation of issues or problem within the company leadership concept focuses
motivating and encouraging their employees and staff to take decisions by their own to resolve
the issues (Barling, Slater and Kelloway, 2010). Furthermore, the leader will also energise the
staff to seeks and resist the change so that they can easily meet the objective and overall goals of
the organization. On the other hand Anderson and Anderson (2010) has also stated that both the
concept are different from each other as management focuses on delegating the controlling
power in the lower hierarchy level, organizes staff properly as well as maintain adequate and
proper structure so that they can easily focus on the human development (Anderson and
Anderson, 2010). On the contrary, leadership concept focuses on creating the guiding coalition
as well as teams within the organization so that they can accept the vision and resist change in
the proper manner.
As per the view of Fletcher and Arnold (2011), leadership and management approaches
within the organization are quite similar as these guide and control the manpower in achieving
their goals and objectives (Fletcher and Arnold, 2011). As management function at the
workplace ensures that all the activities must be planned and operated in a scheduled manner so
it requires leadership approach to lead and motivate the team in performing the scheduled tasks
as well as activities. For example, based on the style of leadership, management within Tesco
supermarket focuses on autocratic style. This bossy management style within the supermarket
will not win the heart of individuals who are performing services at the workplace. However, it
will damage the relationship between management and employees. Therefore, following the
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leadership function by the manager plays a significant role in directing them to get succeed in
attaining new things.
In addition to this, Meredith-Belbin (2011) has also stated that management and
leadership are quite similar terms that are required within the organization to perform activities
in a proper manner (Meredith-Belbin, 2011). In the present scenario, it is essential for manager to
possess leadership skills as well as managerial skills so that they can easily manage the activities.
In addition to this, Walumbwa Avolio and Peterso (2008) has also stated that
management and leadership are quite similar terms that are required within the organization to
perform activities in the proper manner (Walumbwa, Avolio and Peterson, 2008). In the present
scenario, it is essential for manager to possess the leadership skills as well as managerial skills so
that they can easily manage the organizational activities in order to achieve the targeted goals
and aims.
There are different theories of management as well as leadership that benefit the
organization in enhancing productivity as well as motivating staff members for rendering proper
services within the workplace. Management theory states that needs of individual or staff within
the organization are mainly influenced by their attitude and beliefs (Toor and Ofori, 2008).
When manager believes that staff within the workplace has lack of ambition level so that
incentives or motivation is required by which they may increase the overall productivity of
organization then this is considered as Theory X management style. On the other hand,
management while focusing on theory Y believes that employees within the supermarket are
voluntary motivated towards the work and taking responsibilities. If manager of Tesco believes
in the concept of Theory X then he or she will focus on using the authoritarian leadership style at
the workplace to increase the organizational productivity. Managers who believe in theory Y will
promote involvement from the staff. Therefore, these management theories at the workplace are
essential for the organization as manager will use different leadership styles to direct and allow
the staff members to perform their activities. As per the view of Wang and Poutziouris (2010),
another management theory which states that there is close relationship between the two
concepts of leadership and management is contingency theory (Wang and Poutziouris, 2010).
This theory asserts that managers within the organization take effective decisions through
considering the situation rather than taking decision that suits in all the conditions. For example,
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if any dispute arises among the staff and customers within the supermarket then manager at that
time, utilizes the participation leadership style and listens to both the parties and then makes
decisions. On the other hand, if manager is aware regarding the unethical practices performed by
any staff member in the supermarket then in such situation, manager must use autocratic
approach to eliminate unethical practices from the workplace. Therefore, from assessing the
above management theory McGurk (2010) has stated that manager requires leadership skills and
concept to lead and direct their workforce in accomplishing the planned activities and tasks
(McGurk, 2010).
On the other hand, there are different leadership theories that support in managing the
workforce, activities and other resources within the organization. According to Popovici (2012)
behavioural leadership theory it describe that leader does not possess specific set of traits but
they have behaviour and style that they utilize in the different situation (Popovici, 2012). They
have found that there are mainly three form of leadership style that is authoritarian, democratic
and laissez-faire style. As per the view of Mendenhall and Osland (2012) under authoritarian
leadership style leader or manager within the supermarket dictates and order the activities that
need to be performed by the staff members (Mendenhall and Osland, 2012). Furthermore,
another leadership style is democratic under which manager or leader focuses on taking
collaborative decisions through allowing their employees to put their suggestion and views in the
organization. In addition to this, last style is laissez-faire under which leader delegates all the
power and authorities to their employees and staff members so that they may take effective
decisions (The Leadership versus Management debate: What’s the difference, 2016). From the
above leadership style it can be assessed that there is interchangeable relationship between both
the concept that support the overall organization in managing and leading the organization
towards the goals and objectives.
The aforementioned essay has concluded that for succeeding in the competitive market
and to attain the goals and objectives of firm in the proper manner it is essential to focus on
leadership and management aspect. With the management of all the activities and resources
within the enterprise manager requires effective leadership skills so that they can direct the
planned workforce to perform their activities in order to succeed in attaining objectives. It has
also summarizes that both the aspects are different from each other as leadership is being used to
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direct and lead the employees within the organization towards attaining the specific goals on the
other hand, management focuses on managing and organizing the resources as well as so that
they can ensure optimum utilization of resources within the specific time period. Moreover,
Leadership and management both considered as interchangeable terms as both the concept
focuses on accomplishing the aims and objectives of the organization.
Word Count (Less references)- 2491
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