Learning Activity 4: Blog Post 2

 Assigned and emergent leaders

Northouse (2016) asserts that an assigned leader is one who possesses a formally recognised position and discharges his or her duties by exerting the power that has been apportioned to the leadership position they occupy. Unlike an assigned leader, an emergent leader, usually lacks a legal position or authority to lead (Northouse, 2016, p. 8). Further, emergent leaders influence followers using more indirect approaches like applying communication skills or by exuding values cherished by other followers (Northouse, 2016, p. 8).

An instance in which I emerged as a leader was at the scene of a car accident. Two of the victims needed urgent medical attention which no one at the scene could provide. Thankfully, I emerged from the initial moments of chaos and took charge of the situation by coordinating the effort of helping the victims get medical attention.

 

Management and leadership

Although the functions of management and leadership tend to overlap in practice, management focusses on creating order and stability while leadership is more focussed on change and adaptability (Northouse, 2016, p. 17). I believe that a leader ensures the organization does the right things while a manager ensures that things are done in the most effective manner. For an organization to prosper, there must be a healthy balance between management and leadership; an organization would lose its relevance with poor leadership, with poor management, they would become highly inefficient (Northouse, 2016, pp. 14 – 15).

 

Question

How can a healthy balance be achieved between leading and managing in an organization?

 

References

Northouse, P.G. (2016). Leadership: Theory and Practice. (7th ed.). SAGE Publications.

 

 

Question

In practicable terms, how can a healthy balance be achieved between leading and managing in an organization?