MANAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP

Management and Leadership

Management and Leadership

Management and Leadership

This study discusses the styles of management and leadership at the United States Postal Service. When we think of leadership, the ideas of power, authority, and influence may come to mind. You may think of the actions of effective leaders in accomplishing important goals. You may think of actual people who have been recognized for their leadership capabilities. Yukl, (1998), defined leadership as the ability to decide what is to be done, and then to get others to want to do it. Leadership can be defined as the ability of an individual to influence the thoughts, attitudes, and behaviour of others. It is the process by which others are motivated to contribute to the success of the groups of which they are members. Leaders set a direction for their followers and help them to focus their energies on achieving their goals. Theorists have developed many different theories about leadership, and although none of the theories completely explains everything about leadership, each has received some scientific support. Some of the theories are based on the idea that there are “born leaders” with particular traits that contribute to their ability to lead (Bass & Avolio, 1994). Other theories suggest that leadership consists of specific skills and behaviours. Some theories take a contingency approach that suggests that a leader's effectiveness depends on the situation requiring leadership. Still other theories examine the relationship between the leader and his or her followers as the key to understanding leadership. In this chapter, we examine these various theories and describe the process of leadership development.

Perhaps the best-known definition of management is that advanced by the early management scholar Henri Fayol, who maintained that management involves “to forecast and plan, to organize, to command, to co-ordinate and to control” (1949, p. 40). This so-called classical view of management implies that managers generally operate as essentially rational, analytical planners and decision makers directing the work of subordinates in such a way as to achieve pre-stated organisational goals.

In thinking about what leaders do, it is important to distinguish between leadership and management. Warren Bennis (1989, p.7) stated, “To survive in the twenty-first century, we are going to need a new generation of leaders—leaders, not managers.” He points out that managers focus on “doing things right” whereas leaders focus on “doing the right things.” Table 68.2 provides a comparison of the characteristics that distinguish a leader from a manager. As you look at the list, it is clear that a person can be a leader without being a manager and be a manager without being a leader.

Roles and Responsibilities

The roles of organisational managers and leaders are:

To create a clear understanding of the current reality, and a healthy dissatisfaction with the current situation

To help develop a shared vision of a more desirable future situation or objective

To create the belief that there is a viable path from the former to the latter

To create an environment in which people are motivated to embark on the journey to ...