It has been said that leaders do the right thing and managers do things right. While this is a subtle distinction between leaders and managers, in business, it can be the determining factor between failure and success. Unfortunately, it is one that often goes disregarded. Typically, the term management refers to the actions involved in four common functions of business: planning, organizing, leading and coordinating of resources. In order to better recognize and fully appreciate the functions of a manager and how they operate, one must first understand what the basic functions of management are.
Whether the system is an organization, department, business or project, the planning process typically includes similar activities that are carried out in some sort of sequential order. Often, a plan is implemented in a cautious and well defined manner. Part of the planning process involves some sort of organizational behavior. Organizing is typically viewed as activities utilized in an effort to collect and configure resources in order to implement plans in an efficient fashion. The role of an organizer involves a broad set of activities, and is often though of as one of the major functions of a successful manager. Organization can span many aspects of business.
While organization plays a crucial role within the management ranks, leadership and the ability to lead people must not be taken for granted. A leader can be thought of as someone who provides direction in an effort to influence people to follow a certain direction. Managers are individuals who are able to motivate by using a variety of well established methods such as facilitation, coaching, mentoring, directing, and delegating. Managers that have the ability to lead do so with a wide variety of styles. A great leader must be able to evaluate his or her resources and leverage them accordingly.
In today’s business market, managers are in high demand. The world has an endless amount of work to be done and needs all the help it can get; however, one must remain cognizant of the fact that management is not simply a job, but rather an art form. Globally, people can be managed in a similar fashion. The skills of a superior manager remain the same across board. If one can master the four management functions of planning, organizing, leading and coordinating of resources, their opportunities are endless.
By: Alan Barnes
Posts Tagged ‘Management Leadership’
Functions Of Business Management
April 21st, 2010Leadership Vs Management
March 18th, 2010
Leadership and management are abilities that are far too often confused and conflated in mainstream discourse. There are some similarities between the two, but they are in fact very distinct abilities that encompass a different set of skills and qualities. Good or great managers are present in many organizations while good or great leaders are much scarcer. The skills needed to be a great manager can be developed and honed while the skills necessary to be a great leader tend to be more innate and more difficult to learn (although not impossible).
Managers can manage any number of things. They can manage a task, subordinates, projects, transitions, meetings, or even expectations. Leaders lead people. That is the essence of the difference. A great leader must have the ability to inspire and compel followers (subordinates in the case of a company) to act and perform on behalf of something that may or may not serve their own self interest.
