Although the concepts of leadership and management are related, one should note that there are differences between them. The end goal of both leadership and management may be the achievement of the company’s goals and high-level performance among employees; however, the approaches pertinent to each of the concepts are not the same. Liphadzi, Aigbavboa, and Thwala state that the first distinction between the notions is that management is focused on planning, structuring, and controlling, while leadership is associated with directing, visioning, and motivating. Moreover, the latter concept can also be perceived as a process of motivating and affecting others to attain necessary aims, which is different from the idea and purposes of management.
Another difference between the two concepts is the one related to internal and external roles. For instance, the objectives managers may have are based on necessities, while the aims of leaders are associated with their active attitudes. From this perspective, it is possible to say that leadership is focused on creative problem solving, inspiration, and communication with employees, while management ensures that all necessary tasks are performed. It means that managers are focused on the final result, while leaders are responsible for developing strategies and approaches that can inspire employees to achieve it.
These differences show that management and leadership processes are not the same, too. The goal of the former is to ensure consistency and order; the latter is focused on change and movement. The leadership process involves creating a vision, outlining strategies, aligning people, communicating a company’s aims, building teams, motivating, inspiring, and empowering. At the same time, the management process includes setting timetables, budgeting, allocating resources, offering structure, staffing, developing incentives, controlling, establishing agenda, making job placements, and taking corrective action. The differences in these processes illustrate that the tasks leaders and managers have are complimentary; together, they ensure that the company’s goals are set clearly, and employees understand them and are motivated to achieve them.
The distinctions presented above imply that the qualities of effective leaders and managers may differ, too. For example, the significant traits a leader should have may include creativity, dedication, and passion; a manager, in turn, should show persistence and the ability to think rationally. Moreover, leadership is associated with flexibility, courage, innovativeness, and the ability to inspire, unlike management, which is focused on the ability to be stabilising, analytical, and consulting. These traits reveal that, by working together, leaders and managers can lead the company to success by guiding employees towards the achievement of its goals.