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Leadership and management have been the focus of chapters
one and two of our textbook in organizational leadership class.
Is there a line that separates the two terms? Can one be a
manager without being a leader? Can one be a leader without being a manager? I
believe there are people who think the two skill sets can be separated. I do
not subscribe to that theory. In order to be successful, a leader must be able
to manage and vice versa.
A comment I heard long ago was, “No soldier was ever managed
into battle.” I believe that to be true. However, that soldier had to be
managed to the battlefield. Yukl cites Mintzberg’s taxonomy
of roles for manageing in his book(pg. 29, 2012). There are ten
different manager roles noted.
Information Processing
Roles
• Disseminator
• Monitor
• Spokesperson
Decision-Making Roles
• Entrepreneur
• Disturbance handler
• Resource allocator
• Negotiator
Interpersonal Roles
• Liaison
• Figurehead
• Leader
While one of the roles is that of leader, I believe leading
occurs while carrying out other roles on the list. As figurehead and
spokesperson, the implication is that the manager is the leader. The
disturbance handler role requires leadership, or the perception thereof, to be
recognized as the person who can quell the upset.
Leadership is demonstrated in the entrepreneur and
negotiator roles. As an entrepreneur, “the manager of an organization or one of
its subunits acts as an initiator and designer of controlled change to exploit
opportunities for improving the existing situation.” (Yukl, pg. 30) As a
negotiator, “Any negotiations requiring a substantial commitment of resources will
be facilitated by the presence of a manager having the authority to make this
commitment.”(Yukl, pg. 31)
As we study the two major roles of leadership and
management, I will be drawing from personal experience accrued in my jobs as a
manager/leader. Without a doubt, I believe a good leader/manager must move
seamlessly through all the roles noted by Mintzberg as they are needed, all the
while understanding that there are many people looking to him/her to be the
leader.
The TEDx talk that we were assigned to watch covers a vital
point of leadership. Mr. Sinek says, “People don’t buy what you do, they buy
why you do it.” Sinek (2009).
I was reminded of the military saying
about winning the hearts and minds of the enemy to turn the war. Both comments
speak to the idea that passion is created and nurtured around feelings and
ideas.
Recently, while mentoring a new manager at my company, he
asked me what my main focus was as a leader. After some consideration, I told
him I start with Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs Maslow (1943).
those needs include: physiological, safety, love and belonging, esteem, and self-actualization.
The people that work for me must have as many of those needs met as possible to
be able to commit their focus to the job. Once the employees know I take their
needs into consideration, they are much more likely to listen to my vision and
direction. They are open to pick up on the feelings I am trying to communicate.
Much of management is tangible. Handling logistics,
communicating, dealing with day to day issues all fall under management. The leadership
side touches on the intangible. Imparting the vision and the “why” of the task
you are setting out to accomplish. Mr. Yukl’s roles(2012),
capture that fact in the way the leadership role is intertwined through many of
the managerial roles.
I look forward to progressing through this class as I broaden
and refine my skills.
Yukl, Gary A. (2012-02-09). Leadership in Organizations (8th
Edition). Pearson HE, Inc.. Kindle Edition.
Maslow, A. H. (1943). A Theory of Human
Motivation. Psychological Review, 50(4),
26.
Sinek, S.
(Producer). (2009, January 18, 2015). Start with why – How great leaders
inspire action. [Lecture] Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4ZoJKF_VuA&feature=share&list=PL42F8562DCD3CCEA8
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