Organisations have an ensemble list of operations, workflows, processes, business plans, procedures, staff personnel, and other resources that work in unison for achieving objectives. Corporations focus on setting up appropriate measures for leading and managing the human capital that constitute their departments for churning out results.

Leadership and Management: Scanning them Thoroughly

The considerable number of leadership programs in India offer vital insights into the separate facets of this domain. These courses are designed to create successful leaders for the future that understand their business needs and set up strategies accordingly. Therefore, aspiring managers need to choose and pursue courses that fit the corporational models and offer opportunities for getting recruited by leading firms.

The leadership and management courses by XLRI institutes provide knowledge about the vitalities that comprise both these sectors, the principles, attributes, and other additional information. However, before enrolling in these courses, professionals need to understand the contrasts between leaders and managers.

Contrasts Between Leaders and Managers

If leadership is the starting point of a business strategy, management can be referred to as its journey from initiation to deployment. From a bird’s eye point of view, leadership and management might look the same thing, but as one zeros in on the more progressive elements, one realises heaps of differences between the two.

Leadership programs in India define leaders as influential, role models personalities that give a business its direction and a vision for achieving organisational objectives. Management is the field that puts forth a team of people that help in bringing that vision into finality.

Differences between Leaders and Managers:-

• On the Basis of Working

Leadership

Leaders are skilful operators and possess the “gift of gab” for rounding up their followers, employees, associates, and other shareholders for achieving their strategic vision. Since the strategies are laid out in the presence of leaders, they need to ensure that their followers feel motivated, inspired, and encouraged while setting out in the process of strategy’ completion.

Leaders are just like openers in cricket who set the tone of the strategic application of leadership procedures. They are at the base of giving a shape to the future scheme of things and therefore need to be precise in their approaches.

Management

The management department sees employees as the avenue for achieving business objectives and delegating their tasks and responsibilities for achieving corporational goals. Managers need to ensure that all the business operations and methodologies are being followed appropriately, and if the employees get off track, they need to be told so.

Management, contrary to the leading sector, is inclined towards finding flaws within the workflows. If the staff personnel are not performing as per the preferred corporate levels, correct action/s needs to be taken.

• On the Basis of Bringing Changes

Leadership

Any type of leadership- strategic, transformational, transactional and others thrives on innovation and changes. The rudimentary principle of leadership is disruption; leaders know that to make their organisations a competitive one in the international market, they need to challenge the existing practices and operations.

Leaders profess and preach the value that “Change is the only constant”, and the same is reflected through their meetings with fellow employees, seminars and their way of working.

Management

The art of management lies in sticking to the tried and tested models and delivering results with the existing corporational schemas. Though they make amendments in the processing, planning and other systems for more incredible work output, the topography of the managerial work pattern stays the same. Managers know that for achieving objectives and deployment of strategies, they need to stick to a plan that has worked for them in the past and continue with it for achieving expected results.

• On the Basis of Risks

Leadership

“Be brave. Take risks. Nothing can substitute experience.”

The quote mentioned above by renowned writer Paulo Cohelo stresses the need for taking risks for seeking new experiences, the corporational leaders reflect the same. Successful leaders are risk-takers who think out of the box and look at the bigger picture that can benefit their corporations. They make it “safe to fail” and are willing to try things that push employees out of their comfort zones.

Leaders believe that risks lead to new business opportunities and follow the “high-risk/high-reward” principle for leading their organisations towards success.

Management

Managers are more conservative and traditional in their approaches and avoid taking risks. However, these individuals are always looking for pathways that can reduce the emergence of risks and hazards. Managers are excellent risk mitigators and understand that to keep a steady business economic growth; the threats need to be removed at the earliest.

Managers understand the harmful effects of risks- financial, capital and others and therefore set up a plan for their successful mitigation.

• On the Basis of Goal-Setting

Leadership

Leaders think of long-term business planning and change the current dynamics to make the corporational operations per future needs. Through their visionary acumen, leaders can understand the future technologies and methodologies that can take organisations towards success and increase profitable prospects.

Management

Managers are ideated towards setting up policies and assigning tasks as per the short-term goals. They break down the long-term goals into short, measurable and achievable objectives that can be completed over a stipulated period. Short-term goals provide clarity to managers and help them in managing their teams effectively.

As seen from the points discussed above, there are numerous differences that separate leadership from management. Therefore, enrolling for tailormade leadership and management courses by XLRI can assist young professionals in understanding these two domains and decide the right time for pursuing leadership or managerial roles.

Summing it Up!

These contrasts between management and leadership highlight the essence for employing capable leaders and managers in the organisational setup. Moreover, there needs to be a coexistence between the two as they are mutually exclusive for operational needs.

Pursuing leadership programs in India such as the leadership and management courses by XLRI can offer more clarity of these careers to professionals.

More Information:

What is Strategic management and why you need it?

Advantages & Scope of the Strategic Management Course

How Strategic Management Helps Achieve Company Goals?

Career Prospects & Job Opportunities after Strategic Management