1. Is it important for you as a manager to understand the difference between leadership and
management? Explain your answer.
While leadership and management are not the same thing, they complement each other in
professional settings. A leader motivates and inspires people, but a manager plans,
organizes and co-ordinates the team. Leadership is a role that sets direction for the people,
facilitates decision-making, takes risks, looks for new opportunities, gives credit to his
team, very persuasive and has a passion for his vision. Management, on the other hand, is a
role, where the person makes decision and rules for the team to follow, takes credit for his
team work and enacts the culture of the organization. Though both the roles are different
and play very differently, they have to be in sync to make an organization strive for its
vision.
2. What is the difference between the “situational approach” and “trait approach” to
leadership? What approach seems to have more relevance to you as a manager? Explain
your answer.
Trait approach focuses on identifying leaders through recognized traits. This approach
believes that a good leader is made up of a combination of skills such as intelligence,
creativity, decision-making, tolerance, persistence, good communication and social skills.
On the other hand, situational approach examines context and appropriateness of the
current situation. I personally think that situational approach being more relevant to my
managerial skills. Leaders sometimes are not the appointed one but the ones taking
initiatives when no one else would. The ability to adapt and grow is what makes a