You’ve probably learned by now that all leaders are not managers and all managers are not leaders. While managers are concerned with the day to day operations and with meeting a firm’s goals and objectives, leaders are concerned with long term vision. Managers plan, organize, staff, budget and solve problems. Leaders inspire and motivate to produce change, change that meets long term strategies. Leaders influence the thoughts, emotions and actions of other people.
Leaders can come from any position or level in a business or company – from senior level management all the way to the lowest level employee. We often think that people are “born leaders.” While there are some charismatic people who have natural abilities and powers to motivate and inspire, leadership skills can be learned! While we might not be able to change basic personality, we all can learn certain skill sets that help us to be leaders.
- Let’s assume you own and operate your own business. You are hiring a potential manager/leader for your business. What would you look for in the applicant pool? What sort of characteristics should this person have?
- Examine your own potential to be a manager and to be a leader. What skills and traits do you possess that allow you to manage and to lead? Why would a company want to hire you? How would you be an asset to the company?
- Using your own skills and abilities as a base, how would you motivate your employees to produce, to work to ensure organizational success?
- How would you encourage your company to be a “learning organization?”
- When you reply to your classmates, examine their opinions and views about leadership and management. Would you hire your classmate to work for your company? (Be constructive with your comments! )
