Question

Some leadership experts believe that most people are either strong as leaders or as managers, but not both. Other experts believe an individual can become excellent in both areas.

Can the same individual excel both as a leader and as a manager? How might the individual’s personality traits and preferred leadership style impact the answer to that question? Can you provide an example of someone whose leadership and/or management supports your opinion? How does this person’s leadership and/or management style reflect situational theories of leadership?

Answer 1

Answer

✓ I do believe that an individual can excel both as a leader and a manager. A manager can be leader and a leader can manage the workplace activities and employees. Leadership is an ability which can be learnt and management is a science and art which can also be learnt. These two are the different capabilities but can be owned by an individual and used according to the requirements and situations demand. A leader is capable of inspiring others and influencing them without forcing them to do something. A manager directs and makes the members do the thing to reach the goals. With management Philosophy and concepts.

✓ an individual's personality traits and preferred leadership style impact the reasoning because, these abilities are subjective to every human. And each individual may not be fit for both of them. Some individuals tend to be extravagant, some are adventurous, some are reserved, and like wise falling in any of the personality types. These personality governs their behaviour and attitude and also influence them to take certain actions. Similarly leadership style also influence the leading ability and response of the followers. A leader may use styles viz, autocratic, democratic, transactional, transformational, charismatic, etc based on what is suitable for the firm and employees. These depends on the resources, employees talent and leader's perceptions.

A manager may also use these styles and can have any of the personality types so the answer will be that, an individual can be a leader and a manager. He may use autocratic style when he has scarce resources and time constraints to keep the quality and drive maximum productivity. When the employees are talented and are not responsive to controlling behaviours, he may use democratic or transformational style.

✓ for example, my boss who is branch manager in the organisation, uses leadership abilities and also managerial capabilities to manage and guide the employees. He acts as a leader when the project is larger and resources are limited with quality as a priority and also keeps the employees happy and satisfied utilising autocratic style to some extent and being a democratic leader to other. And when he handles regular duties he acts as a manager, fulfilling management functions to keep up the plans and have control over the activities.

✓ situational leadership theory involves two important element viz, supportive behaviour and directive behaviour. Individual who is low is directing and high is supporting is a supporting leader. One with low at both is a delegating leader, a person high in both is a coach and one who is high in directing and low at supporting is a directing leader. By boss's leadership style reflect this model of situational theory in a way that he adapts to each style when there is a requirement and try to manage the things effectively. As I explained, he may be a directing leader when resource are scarce and quality issue exists, he will be a coach when the employees are easy to manage and are talented.