What is leadership in management? Simply put, leadership is the ability to accurately assess
potential, identify priorities, and successfully drive organizational change to achieve desired
results. Leaders are often perceived as the leaders who initiate change or the ones who provide
strategic direction. While there are certainly those leaders who possess these leadership skills,
what is leadership in management?
Concept of leadership in management
A great analogy that illustrates the concept of leadership in management is to compare sales
professionals with managers. Each has specific, but distinct leadership qualities. A sales
professional may be the most skilled salesperson in the world, but if he/she does not have good
leadership skills, results will usually reflect this fact. Likewise, a manager may be the most
skilled manager in the world, but if he/she does not possess good leadership qualities, results
may reflect this as well. In both cases, the ultimate goal is to achieve organizational objectives.
Generally speaking, leadership involves an ability to communicate with others.
Those who posses good leadership skills are able to effectively lead others towards achieving
organizational objectives. In addition, leadership involves a willingness to take risks and a
commitment to continuous improvement and tweaking. Leaders exhibit these characteristics in
order to make a positive difference in their organizations.
Qualities
How can one identify whether or not they possess the leadership qualities necessary for good
management? Generally, managers can be characterized by having: a high confidence level,
ability to communicate well, the ability to make decisions under pressure, and a sense of
prioritization. It should be noted, however, that in organizations, there are many different types of
management styles. Therefore, one’s leadership style may vary depending upon the type of
management style prevailing in an organization.
In general, however, the best practices of the managers who possess positive leadership traits
are called the “third generation leaders.” Examples of this type of manager leadership skills
include those who are dedicated to continuous learning, adaptable, innovative, and committed to
quality improvement. These traits are usually reflective of the type of environment they are
working in, as some environments require more creativity than others. In some cases, the best
practices of the third generation managers need to be taught to the newer workers. This helps
new managers gain insight into the kind of behavior that will be rewarded in their positions.
The second type of manager leadership skills are the “first generation leaders.”
Thesemanagers have qualities in common with the third generation leaders. These individuals have a
high degree of commitment to their jobs. They also exhibit organizational skills that are almost
always a product of personal experiences. They also are highly adaptable, flexible, and positive
thinkers.
Vision
One thing that all good leaders have in common is that they are visionaries. Vision is what drives
action. Leaders create the vision for their teams and then they work to make that vision a reality.
A vision is something that inspires action. Without a vision, you have no direction. While some
leadership may appear to require action, it is usually the vision in action that leads to success.
Finally, the last type of leadership skills are what I would classify as “passive leadership.” These
managers exhibit few leadership skills and yet they manage effectively. What is this passive
leadership doing? It is usually because the managers themselves are not highly engaged in their
management functions, but rather they are only passively listening to their teams.
Leadership styles
As you can see, there are many different leadership styles. The important thing to remember is
that each type of leadership style has its own benefits and drawbacks. However, all leadership is
based on three important characteristics: effective leadership skills, a strong sense of vision, and
active listening.
Conclusion
In conclusion, what is leadership in management boils down to three important traits: effective
leadership skills, a strong sense of vision, and effective communication skills. You must possess
these skills if you want to be a good leader. A great leader must be able to communicate with
his/her team members. Furthermore, a great leader must be an effective manager.
I hope this article has given you insight into what leadership really is. Remember that all leaders
need followers. You can be an effective leader if you are able to inspire, motivate, and
communicate with your team members. You can also become an effective leader if you have
excellent leadership skills. If so, keep in mind that the best leader has great leadership skills as
well.
