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During two decades of HR experience, I have read numerous articles on the differences between leadership and management, as well as how particular job titles need to have more or less of each.
Instead of providing another article on the similarities and differences between management and leadership, this article will take a different perspective: Instead of treating them as separate, organizations should approach them as complementary and symbiotic concepts.
Each might focus on different areas and provide different skill sets, but someone with authority needs both management and leadership skills to be successful. If one skill is lacking, performance suffers. Keep in mind that leadership and management are not just job titles or positions, but competencies and skill sets needed in all types of organizations and at all levels.
In dealing with thousands of people in various positions of authority, it has become clear to me that to be successful, one must possess both leadership and management skills. Unfortunately, organizations treat these concepts as separate entities. One example is the informal title given to those in authority. Those toward the top of the organizational hierarchy are referred to as leaders, while those lower are referred to as managers.
How should we think of them?
Most experts describe leadership and management as...