Management and Leadership - One in The Same?

Management and Leadership – Is There a Difference?

Certainly there is! While management and leadership should fundamentally go hand-in-hand and complement one another, they are two very separate approaches. A manager is an individual who has people that do work for him/her in efforts to maintain productivity within systems and structure. The manager assigns tasks and gives instruction to be adhered to – he/she is in control. The leader, on the other hand, motivates and inspires trust in people. The leader is innovative and encourages people to take a long-term approach and alter perspectives in ways where the bottom line is not the main concern. A leader is followed and is not a carbon copy. The main differences between management and leadership are that within management, there is little to no room for freedom of expression or choice for the subordinate. With leadership, discovering other ways and views are both encouraged and welcomed. Management tells the people while leadership guides the people.

In order to be most effective in an organizational setting, you cannot have one without the other. A great manager must be a great leader; and a great leader must be a superb manager of people. A successful person of power must be able to instruct and lead his/her team to success and alignment with his/her vision for the company or team.

Decision Making

Decisions, decisions, decisions!! Do I wear the yellow shirt or the black shirt? Do I take the train today or should I carpool? What's for dinner; chicken or fish? We all have to make decisions, every single second of every single day. It's one of the very most important things that we do in and with our lives. A decision that we make today, can affect our forever.

So what exactly is a 'decision' anyway? Webster says that decision making is -  "the act or process of deciding something, especially with a group of people" In its purest explanation, making a decision is simply choosing between two different courses of action. Decision making is used in the problem solving process and entails searching for the right solution for the problem at hand. We all make decisions by one of two ways, and sometimes both: Intuitively and reasoned. For this reason, decision making can prove to be problematic in some instances, namely in a group setting. When there is a group of 3 or more individuals who are forced with making decisions that may affect not only the group, but an entire company, problems can arise. Different personalities, leadership styles, personal preferences, and even perception can interfere with successful decision making and problem solving. The goal is to make sound decisions based on what is best for every stakeholder involved. This would require removing self from the equation and looking outside of those who are directly in front of you, with regard to decision making for a community of people. We have to be careful who we elect to make decisions on our behalf because once they are made, it may be quite difficult, or even impossible at times, to undo.

HR and YOU!

Every single company, both large and small, most likely has a Human Resources (HR) department. These are the folks who are responsible for much of what and who comes in, and goes out, of the  company. They are sometimes seen as the epicenter of many companies who's sole reliability is on them. In order for HR to be a strategic partner within a company, it has to operate with the company's best intentions in mind when it comes to employee selection, training, remuneration rates, and the like. HR must work with the company to ensure that they are selecting individuals who match up with the current climate of the company as well as the corporate structure and culture. HR is responsible for placing and training individuals appropriately in efforts to create a positive environment, and experience, for both the company and those who work there.

HR is also responsible for ensuring the a company has a well round team of people. This would include people from various backgrounds and cultures. A diverse workplace can provide many benefits to companies in that every person is different - so every person has something new to bring to the table. Companies benefit by having fresh faces with fresh ideas that can enhance productivity, efficiency, as well as the atmosphere. Differences create dialogue and that is what's needed in order to keep the pace with the ever-changing times, today.

What is Motivation??

   So what exactly is motivation? Well, according to Webster, motivation is:

1. * The reason or reasons one has for acting or behaving in a particular way.

   "escape can be a strong motivation for travel"

   synonyms:

   motive, motivating force, incentive, stimulus, stimulation, inspiration, inducement, incitement, spur, reason; informalcarrot "his motivation was financial * The general desire or willingness of someone to do something.

   
   

   What does the business dictionary have to say about motivation? It argues that - Motivation is the "...Internal and external factors that stimulate desire and energy in people to be continually interested and committed to a job, role or subject, or to make an effort to attain a goal.

   Motivation results from the interaction of both conscious and unconscious factors such as the (1) intensity of desire or need, (2) incentive or reward value of the goal, and (3) expectations of the individual and of his or her peers. These factors are the reasons one has for behaving a certain way. An example is a student that spends extra time studying for a test because he or she wants a better grade in the class."

   
   

   http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/motivation.html

   
   

   When I think of motivation, the first thing that comes to my mind is drive. What is it that drives us? What influences or persuades us to do a certain thing or go a certain place? Why do we, as human beings, act the way we do? The good, the bad, and the ugly - every action and reaction is forced by some type of motivating factor. No action is done without first the desire being implanted within us in some way, shape, or form.

   
   

   Holding a BS degree in Psychology, I was forced to study all about the five (5) psychological theories of motivation. My favorite was and always will be Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. It is, in my opinion, the one that best, and most accurately, explains the forces behind human behavior. The levels of the Hierarchy of Needs are as follows:

   
   

   
   

   1. Physiological – in order for a person to survive, these needs must be met. Food, water, and shelter are all necessities for survival. 

   2. Safety – a person must feel safe and secure both financially, professionally, and personally.
   

   3. Love/belonging –a person wants to be satisfied with family, friends, and significant other.

   4. Esteem – a person wants to feel respected, desired, appreciated, and confident.

   5. Self-actualization – the desire to reach your greatest, highest potential in all things.

   Maslow's hierarchy is so far-reaching and completely inclusive of so many aspects of life that make it more than relevant and beyond useful when searching for the reasons why people do what they do. It is safe to assume that every single individual can connect with at least 2 or more of the above levels of need. I truly believe that this is the best theory to apply.