Marine Fabricator July/August 2023 - 44

Shop Talk Business
Leadership and management
Different roles, and both are necessary for success.
by Madeleine MacRae
L
" Companies flourish
when leadership
teams embrace
both roles, and
teams thrive when
their managers
know how to
manage and lead. "
eadership and management are
closely related; however, despite
often being spoken of in the same
breath, they are certainly not synonymous.
If we use those terms interchangeably,
we tend to behave as if these roles are
interchangeable and equivalent. Doing
so means we miss critical components of
excellence within our organizations.
Destination vs. the path
Leadership is the ability to inspire and
provide a vision so that individuals
or groups can achieve a common
goal. Management is more granular,
involving the planning, coordination
and guidance of team members, tasks
and tools needed to accomplish that
goal. Leadership is about envisioning
and communicating a future state and
inspiring others to work toward it.
Management is about organizing and
utilizing resources in an efficient and
effective manner in the service of that
future state. Said more simply, leaders
provide the destination and managers
chart the path.
In every organization, no matter
how big or small, both functions
are critical to success. Companies
flourish when leadership teams
embrace both roles, and teams
thrive when their managers know
how to manage and lead.
Leaders inspire a larger vision
Since leaders often think strategically,
they are constantly looking ahead. They
want to inspire others to think beyond
the present and to work toward a
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greater outcome. Great leaders catalyze
the group toward a goal and, to ensure
success in that endeavor, foster and
promote positivity and productivity.
They are known for empowering
individuals to make decisions and
take ownership of their work. They are
committed to the outcome and want
each team member to contribute to
that goal. Autonomy and authority
are provided as tools along the
journey; however, providing the road
map to the destination is a function
of management, not leadership.
Managers craft the route
It is the role of managers to craft the
pathway to the intended destination.
And more than that, they need to ensure
that their team members are properly
equipped, empowered and educated so
they have the resources and the knowhow
to stay on track. Not getting lost
along the way is, of course, a critical part
of accomplishing goals, and maintaining
the required pace is what preserves
the timelines of a particular business.
Guide rather than control
Planning, organizing, directing
and guiding the activities of team
members are all key components
of effective management. However,
mistaking control for guidance is
often what trips up many managers.
Whether stemming from their own
insecurities, a lack of training or plain
shortsightedness, many managers
default to micromanagement, which
disempowers their direct reports.
Marine Fabricator July/August 2023

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