Warren Bennis states "Managers are people who do things right and leaders are people who do the right thing." (Bennis, 1997). Similarly, a proverb says that leadership is doing the right thing; management is doing things right. The difference between the two is not as sharp as the saying would suggest, and both are required for effective corporate growth: leadership risk creates opportunities while management strictness turns them into tangible results. (www.1000ventures.com)
Paramount to effective leadership is the ability to influence other people (Bateman & Snell, 2002). Leaders establish the strategic direction, vision, mission and goals of the organization and management provides the infrastructure to carry out the leadership plan. At the same time leaders inspire management. Leaders oversee strategically while managers man the battlefield.
Managers focus on the ongoing daily activities and supervision of directed activities while leaders continue to move organizations forward. Put another way, managers make sure tasks and projects are completed while leaders plan what tasks and projects will be done. These responsibilities belong to both leadership and management often overlapping each other. Good leaders will keep the lines of communication open with management for input as leadership continues to plan and implement an organization’s strategic vision and direction.
Further analysis of the differences between leaders and managers is the constant discussion of leadership in the business world. While there is uncertainty in the economy, companies seek strong leaders to provide direction and insight into the future of the company. Twenty-first century leadership requires organizations to expand globally requiring leaders to develop cultures that promote global perspectives, human diversity, and ethics. Leaders are faced with many obstacles and implications when globally posturing organizations strategically. Managers typically will follow leadership direction and carry out the plan.
Leaders must respond to the challenge of worldwide competition in a global marketplace. Management, on the other hand, can be more broadly defined as the ability to manage resources to achieve goals. In practice, this refers to controlling both material resources and people to achieve the goals of the organization. Management can be further divided into the tasks of organizing, planning, controlling, and directing. The manager's role is to manage tasks and people on a consistent basis to ensure that goals of the organization as established by the leaders are met.
Experts are continually comparing and contrasting the roles of leaders and managers. Of greater importance is how these roles play out in this culture of organizational success. Case in point, 2005 was a year where Boeing faced substantial suffering through strikes and ethical turbulence in the boardroom lead by senior leaders (Seattle Times, 2005). This challenged not only the integrity of a world-class organization that takes pride in the products developed and produced but challenged the managers and employees that are so closely associated with technological excellence and innovation considered critical for America’s security and well-being. Both the managers and employees at the Boeing Company are used to winning through very difficult missions, and accomplishing them through support and direction of their leaders.
Despite the media circus and the change in leadership Boeing, through its strong leaders have topped Airbus in commercial-jet sales for the first time in five years. (Seattle Times, 2005). Understanding the dynamics of how this strategy comes together is critical in understanding how the leaders and managers work together to achieve the strategies, missions, and goals of the largest airplane manufacturer in the world. Of interest is the photo of Harry Stonecipher gracing the front page of the Seattle Times begging the question of why Harry? This leader was acquired through the acquisition of McDonnell-Douglas. Since that acquisition, Harry Stonecipher was best known for his leading through numbers not people. Serious doubt was cast on his ability to lead after coming out of retirement taking over for Phil Condit whose demise was also attributed to ethical behavior not becoming of any leader of a world-class organization. How does Boeing keep the market share in such a competitive global marketplace, simply stated through its leaders. Despite the suffering and despite a seemingly adrift search for a strategy (Seattle Times) Boeing has been strategically planning through new innovations, lean concepts, and a reorganization of its leaders. The chosen leaders are individuals that have the knowledge and understand how to lead the major business units that comprise Boeing’s organizational culture.
As in any organization, a commitment to continuous improvement in delivering world-class products is critical to its success. Improvements in Boeing’s structure and leadership must be continually reviewed and changes made where appropriate to strengthen leadership direction. Ethical Leadership through effective training and communication is recommended to be mandatory at all levels of the organization. Incorporate the Code of Conduct Guidelines through meaningful ethics and compliance training. Work on open communication and culture issues that are so vital to the success of the organization. Finally, it is recommended that executive leadership devote particular attention to helping management recognize, understand, and implement their obligations to the standards and values of the Boeing Company.
Today’s leaders and managers are under significant pressure to remain competitive in a global market that is unprecedented. These challenges can be met in an organizational culture that calls for leaders and managers who can both react openly to cultural business changes and global diversities. Leaders and managers who broaden their horizons, anticipate future needs, combine resilience with agility, and share in continual learning and heightened strategic awareness determines the success of an organization’s culture.
References
Bateman & Snell. (2002). Management: The New Competitive Landscape. McGraw-Hill/Irwin, 2004 New York. Retrieved from University of Phoenix.
Bennis, W. and Goldsmith, Joan. (1997). Learning to Lead: A Workbook on Becoming a Leader. Paperback, Addison-Wesley Pub Co.
Gates, Dominic. “Boeing’s Big Year Upstages Airbus.” Seattle Times, 31, Dec, 2005, Eastside Ed.
