David, sure. That's a great point. If we do our best to model and continue learning, we will continue to grow in our role.
Dr. Jean Norris
Richard, well said. Know your team, support their goals, and help direct them in the common goal for the team with their different skill sets.
There are fine lines in effective leadership and management. Sometimes we find ourselves as over achievers trying to do it all without letting others accomplish the whole task and seeing the results. I feel it is important to practice our skill in determining in each situation the right timing to step in and either be a manager or a leader. We will never be perfect but followers will notice your efforts in striving for excellence which makes them want to believe in you even more.
Yes you can be both. Sometimes a job reguires you to be both. Especially when you in a group project. You can take the lead by getting everyone follow your vision for the project. Then you plan and give out instructions to everyone, so the porject can be completed correctly and on time.
I agree Claudette. Each situation will assist in deciding if you need to lead, or manage, depending on where the individual employee is at with their self development in that particular task; or where the organization feels you should be.
You will decide to be a manager versus a leader depending on how your company or department results are doing. Tough times cause for tough management and and good times calls for good leadership to keep up the motivation. Being a manager means that you got to drive your results, promote stability, and acheive your goals.
A leader would let people do their jobs and just motivate them to continue keep moving towards achieving the goals. We can be both a manager and a leader. I think it is best to be both adn know how to balance the roles.
Jim, absolutely. You make a great point here. From your experience, would you name a time when you felt that being a manager was more important?
Dr. Jean Norris
The circumstances will help decide which way to proceed. Sometimes it can be one or the other and sometimes it needs to be both. Your situation, people, environment, issue will be the determining factor. The manner in which you proceed will be critical, whether it be manage or lead or both.
In any sort of management position you actively participate as both a manager and a leader. As a manager you make sure that what ever daily tasks assign are accomplished. While as a leader you embrace the vision of the company and in your own way convey to anyone that reports to you what that vision is so that everyone is striving toward the same goal, "a successful business". This is just as true in the classroom. The instructor begins the class with a vision of what the students should attain from the class, leadership. On a daily basis assign projects, discussions, questions, and tests, management.
Sherri, interesting point. Tell me more regarding the expectations.
Dr. Jean Norris
You can definitely be both a manager and a leader at the same time, and be effective at each of them. The role is dependent upon the expectation.
Great point Tina. So I wonder, what specifically does it take to be an effective manager?
Dr. Jean Norris
I think you can be a manager and a leader at the same time. The best leader is an effective manager.
Tamikah, thanks for sharing this. It sounds like you would partner these two roles and try to have both qualities in one person. Do I have that right?
Dr. Jean Norris
Kristen, that's a great point. Thanks for sharing it here.
Dr. Jean Norris
Becoming a Manager verus a leader goes hand and hand. In managerial role you are managing and monitoring work duties and ethics. In leadership role you are motivating employees,boosting employee moral planning events, taking leadership into taking your program or employees to the next level.
I also agree that the line between leader and manager are thin. Also, the line between friend and manager/leader are also thin. Managers/leaders need to be aware that sometimes "niceness" can be taken advantage of and that there needs to be a type of respect and certainty with your position as manager or leader so that respect does not fall to the waistside.
Richard, It's nice to see that someone else see's the importance of wearing two hats. I too, feel that having a good rapport with the team helps beyond measure..if that faulters, no hat will work. A team is just that...a team! A good leader AND manager knows how to ensure that the strength of that team does'nt faulter. Thanks so much for your outlook..
In many positions, one must be wearing two hats at once -- both as a leader and manager. As such, they must be able to slide from one role to the next without missing a beat. As an instructor and also the program manager for a program at my school, I do both. It's not a case of deciding to be one or the other, it is a case of doing all the attributes of being a leader and manager. In the classroom, it's more of a leader, and in the office, more of a manager.
I think this is something that we really need to go by a situation by situation standpoint. Being a manager or leader can cange at any molment due to circumstances
