Leadership and Management :: Business and Management Studies

In a firm, management and leadership are important and needed. Leadership and management are similar. Actually, leadership and management are totally different. The leadership would influence the firm. The leader would have difference leadership styles to lead the subordinate. The manager has different functions, attributes and skills. Different subordinate needs to have different leadership style. Finally, difference powers would have difference use on leadership influence. MANAGEMENT DEFINED Management can be defined as the process of planning organising, directing, and controlling organisational resources in the pursuit of organisational goals. LEADERSHIP DEFINED Leadership is frequently defined as a social influence relationship between two or more persons who depend on each other to attain certain mutual goals in a group situation. STYLES OF LEADERSHIP An autocratic leadership style is one where the manager sets objectives, allocates tasks, and insists on obedience. Therefore the group becomes dependent on him or her. The result of this style is the members of the group are often dissatisfied with the leader. This results in little cohesion, the need for high levels of supervision, and poor levels of motivation amongst employees. A democratic leadership style encourages participation in decision making. Democratic leadership styles can be persuasive or consultative. Persuasive – this is where a leader has already made a decision, but takes the time to persuade others that it is a good idea. Consultative – this is where a leader consults others about their views before making a decision. The decision will take into account these views. A laissez-faire type of leadership style allows employees to carry out activities freely within broad limits. The result is a relaxed atmosphere, but one where there are dew guidelines and directions. This can sometimes result in poor productivity and lack of motivation as employees have little incentive to work hard. Autocratic leaders centralize power and decision making in themselves. They structure the complete work situation for their employees, who are expected to do what they are told and not think for themselves. The leaders take full authority and assume full responsibility. Autocratic leadership typically is negative, based on threats and punishment, but it can appear to be positive, as demonstrated by the benevolent autocrat who chooses to give some rewards to employees. Consultative leaders approach one or more employees and ask them for inputs prior to making a decision. These leaders may then choose to use or ignore the information and advice received, however. If the inputs are seen as used, employees are likely to feel as though they had a positive impact; if the inputs are consistently rejected, employees are likely to feel that their time has been wasted. Participative leaders clearly decentralize authority. Participative decisions are not unilateral, as with the autocrat, because they use