The problem of correlation between leadership and management is very acute in the modern world. Often, the leaders of the organization do not understand that only skillful management will not be able to solve all existing problems. Take a look at the brief history of leadership and management theory in the article below.
The Way History and Management Were Understood Throughout the History
The public interest in leadership and management is best evidenced by the fact that more than 10,000 empirical studies have been conducted and described in the literature on this subject. The reasons for the popularity of this topic are easy to discover. Leadership as a social phenomenon is present in all cultures. Moreover, the quality of leadership often determines the fate of a group or organization. In addition, a leader is almost always needed when the work cannot be done alone.
Let us find out how leadership and management were understood at different stages of history:
- Although the idea itself is deeply rooted in history, the term “leadership” did not frequently appear in English until the first half of the nineteenth century and in most modern languages until more recently.
- The earliest theories presented the leader as a great person.
- Trait theory states that effective leaders share a number of common personality characteristics, or “traits.” This theory helps us identify traits and qualities (such as integrity, empathy, self-confidence, good decision-making skills, and the ability to please people) that are useful when managing other people.
The choice of language and ways of describing leadership is one of the most difficult problems that researchers face. Throughout history, there have been leaders who are very different from each other but at the same time have similar characteristics. It is in these general features that it is difficult to find patterns. In this regard, it is difficult to formulate clear, simple instructions and recommendations that help develop leadership skills.
How to Use the Effectiveness of Leadership and Management Theory for Your Business?
The increased relevance of improving leadership and management governance is caused at the present stage by the complication of economic processes and the state of constant crisis in the economy. In such conditions, enterprises are forced not only to adapt to the negative external processes taking place in the country’s economy as a whole but also to the complication of competitive conditions.
As already noted, leadership and management theory is quite well studied. Within the framework of various scientific disciplines, many theories have been formulated that explain certain aspects of the behavior of leaders. However, if the leader is still aware of the need for leadership, then he must clearly understand what it is. There are many different theories that interpret the concept of a leader in their own way. This knowledge is necessary to create a certain image, which, in my opinion, will characterize the “ideal” leader.
Unlike management, leadership is the ability to influence people to achieve the organization’s goals. At the same time, one cannot become a leader at the will of the organization; the leader influences people regardless of his formal position in the internal hierarchy of the organization. Leadership cannot be limited by powers or structures. Public leadership is inherent in the very nature of man and is the most ancient form of organizing people’s lives, an effective means of resolving issues that carry them.