Being aware of the delicate balance between leadership and management is crucial. While both are essential, a leader who focuses solely on vision and disregards management duties can create chaos. Conversely, a manager overly focused on maintaining the status quo can stifle innovation. The key lies in adapting your approach based on the situation. Sometimes, strong leadership is needed to navigate change, while other times, effective management ensures smooth operations. The best leaders are those who can seamlessly blend these aspects, inspiring action while maintaining stability.
Oxford-trained social scientist, CEO of LeaderFactor, HBR contributor, author of "The 4 Stages of Psychological Safety," cohost of The Leader Factor podcast
As disciplines, leadership and management complement and yet compete with each other. They’re interdependent but not interchangeable. They represent different roles, but not different people. You have to blend them in the right proportions based on need and circumstance. Think about what leaders do. Think about what managers do. Managers maintain the present. Leaders create the future. Managers preserve. Leaders disturb. Managers follow the script. Leaders write the script. Managers deal with facts. Leaders deal with possibilities. Managers create value today. Leaders create value tomorrow. Managers can run things on the compliance of others. Leaders can only run things on the commitment of others. If not, they cease to lead. So, what's your leadership-to-management ratio? Let me illustrate 20 role differences between the disciplines of leadership and those of management: #leadership #management