Management vs Leadership: why does it matter?

Leadership vs management has become a debate of bosses around the globe. On the surface we can see that 'leadership' and 'management' have different definitions, but let's dig a little deeper and discuss the differences in more detail.

A leader is - obviously - someone who leads, a guiding head whom others follow. Leaders often possess great social influence and an ability to inspire; an effective leader uses these qualities to drive their followers towards a certain goal or target.

Managers, on the other hand, generally play a more active role in the work that's required to reach these targets. It is the duty of managers to ensure that those under their supervision are working correctly and to the best of their abilities, and that the team as a whole is functioning well and meeting its goals.

To put it simply: leaders focus on what should be done, whereas managers are focused on how it can be achieved.

While a leader may be defined as a 'visionary' or a 'goal-setter', the leader's vision would remain out of reach without the work of managers.

It's worth noting that a leader can also be a manager, and vice versa. In some organisations, the leader sets the agenda and delegates the details to his or her managers, but it's not uncommon for a single individual to occupy both positions. Good leaders and good managers share many of the same skills - the ability to think big and inspire others can be just as useful in a managerial role as in a leadership role, and leaders tend to command more respect when they're willing and able to take an active role in managing the projects they come up with.