Leadership and manager ( IEM )

Topic includes

- Leadership

- Leadership functions

- Manager

Leadership

Leadership is both a research area and a practical skill encompassing the ability of an individual or organization to "lead" or guide other individuals, teams, or entire organizations.

Leadership transforms potential into reality. In the process of transforming the potential of subordinates, a leader is required to carry out many functions.

Main function

1. Leader Develops Teamwork:

He inculcates a sense of collectivism in the employees and forces them to work as a team. Individuals, within the groups may possess varied interests and multiple goals. A leader has to reconcile these conflicting goals and restore equilibrium. On the best leaders, when their task is accomplished, their work done, the people remark, ‘we done it ourselves’. Dynamic leaders provide a satisfying work climate where the individual and organizational goals are well integrated and find meaningful expression.

2. Leader is a Representative of Subordinates:

He is the linking-pin between the work groups and top-management. As a representative of the subordinates, he carries the voice of the workers to top management. He forces the followers to have an identity of interest, outlook and action.

3. Leader is an Appropriate Counselor:

Employees often suffer from emotional disequilibrium in organizations. For instance, an employee may be frustrated over his inability to climb up the organizational ladder and subsequently gets derailed off the work track. Leader comes here, renders wise counsel and tries to remove barriers, real or imaginary, and instills confidence in the employee. Leadership creates a co-operative and wholesome attitude among employees for successful work accomplishment

4. Leader uses Power Properly:

Leadership is the ability of a person to arouse a group’s compliance and co-operation to his initiative beyond the normal call of duty. Leader holds power over his followers and this helps him in guiding, inspiring and directing group members achieve a unity of purpose and efforts. He exercises the power in such a fashion that the subordinates obey the orders of the leader willingly and come forward with commitment.

5. Leader Manages Time Well:

Unsatisfactory human performance in any organization can be primarily attributed to poor utilization of time. Mobilization and utilization of people in the service of organization demands judicious use of time and money. A good leader manages his time well by proper planning based on information and facts, and by arriving at decisions at an appropriate moment. He visualizes problems before they turn into emergencies.

According to Selznick, the main functions of a leader are:

(i) To set an organisation’s goals with reference to its internal needs and external pressure;

(ii) To integrate the needs of the individuals with those of the group so that the goals are easily reached;

(iii) To maintain industrial integrity; that is, a leader should maintain institutional integrity and his organisation’s distinctive identity; and

(iv) To resolve internal conflicts; that is, a leader should bring about a balance between conflicting interests and resolve conflicts with the voluntary cooperation of all concerned.

There are many views on the functions of leaders determined by the level of management and the type of organization.

The main functions of a leader are:

1. To gain the commitment and cooperation of his team;

2. To get the group into action to achieve the agreed upon objectives; and

3. To make the best use of the skills, energies and talents of the team.

Management/ manager  

Below are four important traits of a manager:

The ability to execute a Vision

Managers build a strategic vision and break it down into a roadmap for their team to follow.

The ability to Direct

Managers are responsible for day-to-day efforts while reviewing necessary resources, and anticipating needs to make changes along the way.

Process Management

Managers have the authority to establish work rules, processes, standards, and operating procedures.

People Focused

Managers are known to look after and cater to the needs of the people they are responsible for: listening to them, involving them in certain key decisions, and accommodating reasonable requests for change to contribute to increased productivity.