Leadership vs. Management
I don’t know how many leadership books I’ve read that make the point in the first chapter that leadership and management are two different things. Ronald Heifetz makes the point in his book Leadership without Easy Answers. He writes, “Recently, however, business people have drawn a distinction between leadership and management…” I can agree with the premise at some level; Mahatma Gandhi is not known for his management skill.
That said, and in the context of temporary organizations, the processes of leadership and management do not operate separately. I have never met a good leader that was not a good manager nor a good manager that was not a good leader. There is a synergy here that cannot be overlooked or underestimated.
Doing a quick Google search on the top ten skill for leadership and management you get a list that looks like this:
TOP 10 LEADERSHIP SKILLS TOP 10 MANAGEMENT SKILLS
1. Communication 1. Interpersonal
2. Motivation 2. Communication
3. Delegation 3. Motivation
4. Positivity 4. Organization
5. Trustworthiness 5. Delegation
6. Creativity 6. Forward Planning
7. Feedback 7. Strategic Thinking
8. Responsibility 8. Problem Solving
9. Commitment 9. Business Acumen
10. Flexibility 10. Mentoring
