“Leadership that is based on occupying a position in an organization is assigned leadership… When others perceive an individual as the most influential member of a group or an organization, regardless of the individual’s title, the person is exhibiting emergent leadership” (Northouse, 2018, p. 8).
Distinguishing between assigned and emergent leadership is a strong reminder that title or position alone does not make a leader. Typically, assigned leadership comes from the top down while emergent leadership comes from the bottom up.
Although the categories of assigned and emergent are new terminology to me, it is a reality I have observed and have sought to understand. How do some people thrive as leaders as though the position was made for them? How do others influence and display leadership even though no official role or title may have been given?
“Assigned leadership is based on a formal title or position in an organization. Emergent leadership results from what one does and how one acquires support from followers” (Northouse, 2018, p. 15).
Ellis & Fisher (1994) have found emergent leaders can be identified through positive communication behaviours such as “being verbally involved, being informed, seeking others’ opinions, initiating new ideas and being firm but not rigid” (Northouse, 2018, p. 8). Smith and Foti (1998) suggest personality traits such as dominance, intelligence and confidence “could be used to identify individuals perceived to be emergent leaders” (Northouse, 2018, p. 8).
As an 18-year old spending the summer working at camp, I began to emerge as a leader across areas of responsibility which were not under my direct authority. We had a camp director who was an assigned leader by title and we had many other leaders given authority and responsibility. My emerging leadership was not in competition with their assigned leadership but allowed leaders above me to accomplish their goals while the group around me continued to be motivated to achieve our common goals together.
The essential activities of management and leadership
Leadership study over the last 100 years has helped uncover how the distinction between managers and leaders plays out through different roles, functions and organizational outcomes.
Fayol (1916) identified planning, organizing, staffing and controlling (Northouse, 2018, p. 12) as primary functions of management. From the Kotter (1990) reference, these management functions “provide order and consistency to organizations, whereas the primary function of leadership is to produce change and movement” (Northouse, 2018, p. 12).
Aware of the power dynamic of leadership, the Rost (1991) reference gives relational influence as an essential activity of management and leadership. “He contended that leadership is a multidirectional influence relationship and management is a unidirectional authority relationship” (Northouse, 2018, p. 13).
While managers and leaders are both crucial for an organization to survive, the tension between their primary functions will always exist. Bennis and Nanus (2007) state it clearly, “Managers are people who do things right and leaders are people who do the right thing” (Northouse, 2018, p. 13). Leaders who are given free reign for change and movement become lone rangers, leaving the group behind in confusion and chaos. Managers who fail to lift their eyes will find themselves running a bureaucracy. In both cases, leadership suffers as the group becomes unable to achieve its common goal. “To be effective, organizations need to nourish both competent management and skilled leadership” (Northouse, 2018, p. 13).
Despite this tension and the necessity for both managers and leaders, my opinion is that organizations without leader-driven leadership will ultimately fail. Northouse adds the argument from Zaleznik (1977) that a leader changes the way people think about what is possible (Northouse, 2018, p. 14). This new possibility is what ultimately brings people together around their shared desire to achieve a common goal.
What a great reminder of the need for altruistic servant leaders who can leverage their leadership not only for the sake of a group’s common goal but also to help followers imagine what is possible for their own lives.
As a leader, do you find yourself more comfortable when you are the assigned leader or the emergent leader?
Reference
Northouse, P. G. (2018). Leadership: Theory and Practice, Eighth Edition. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Bennis, W. G., & Nanus, B. (2007). Leaders: The strategies for taking charge (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Harper & Row.
Ellis, D. G. & Fisher, B. A. (1994). Small group decision making: Communication and the group process (4th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
Fayol, H. (1916). General and industrial management. London, UK: Pitman.
Kotter, J. P. (1990). A force for change: How leadership differs from management. New York, NY: Free Press.
Rost, J. C. (1991). Leadership for the twenty-first century. New York, NY: Praeger.
Zaleznik, A. (1977, May-June). Managers and leaders: Are they different? Harvard Business Review, 55, 67-78.
