What leaders really do

Leadership and management are two distinctive and complementary systems of action, both are necessary to success in an increasingly complex and volatile business environment Leadership is setting a new direction or vision for a group that they follow; leader is the spearhead for that new direction
Management controls or directs people, resources in a group according to principles or values that have already been established.
The difference between leadership and management can be illustrated by considering what happens when you have one without the other.
Leadership without management
Sets a direction or vision that others follow, without considering too much how the new direction is going to be achieved. Other people then have to work hard in the trail that is left behind, picking up the pieces and making it work.
Management without leadership
Controls resources to maintain the status or ensure things happen according to already-established plans. A referee manages a sports game, but does not usually provide "leadership" because there is no new change, no new direction - the referee is controlling resources to ensure that the laws of the game are followed and status quo is maintained.
Leadership combined with management
Does both - it both sets a new direction and manages the resources to achieve it.
The absence of leadership and management is not to be confused with participatory or facilitative management, which can be a very effective form of leadership
Also the absence of leadership should not be confused with the type of leadership that calls for “no action” to be taken. For example, Gandhi's calls for protests to stop demonstrated great leadership, because taking no action was a new direction for the Indian people at that time.

Project Management
What leaders really do

El Alami Khaoula

- 2009 / 2010