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Is there a real difference between leadership and management, or are they just different styles?
Whereas leaders are seen as charismatic and often are admired and held in high esteem, managers frequently are thought of as the organization's taskmasters with a whip in one hand and a bullhorn for screaming out orders in the other hand. Is there really a difference between these two terms, or are the perceived differences simply a matter of style? Even if there is a difference, does that difference truly affect the day-to-day workplace?
Is it important to differentiate between leadership and management? Many people think it is, as evidenced by academic debates and Internet searches. Virtually all organizations, including large corporations, military branches, government agencies, and academia, as well as MBA programs, organizational development consultants, industrial psychologists, leadership theorists, and human resources professionals are concerned about the difference and believe it is important. This article discusses research on how leadership and management differ, how they are the same, and why those differences and similarities are important in the workplace.
Measurement Framework
Conceptualizing and defining leadership and management have always been difficult. The two terms often are used interchangeably in the workplace, creating confusion. Many leadership theorists have noted that there are nearly as many definitions for leadership as attempts to characterize it (Bass, 1990; Kotter, 1990, 1999; Terry, 1993; Zaleznik, 1998).
In order to make useful comparisons, a reliable measurement system is necessary. In this case, which was associated with a dissertation program, the original intention was to correlate workplace leadership performance with leaders' personality traits. It quickly became apparent that research on leadership and management performance was fraught with problems. Ultimately, it was determined that measurement should be in terms of effectiveness, as rated by subordinates. This decision was based on historical empirical research that indicated subordinates often were identified as the determinant success factor in leadership and management success (Bass, 1990; Eden and Leviatan, 1975; Gordon and Yukl, 2004; Yukl, 1989; Zaccaro and Horn, 2003), so this measurement approach seemed reasonable.
Historical Perspective
Management is a fairly new phenomenon. The emergence of large, complex organizations in the last century generated the need for a system to regulate work...