And then I was assigned. At the beginning of my role as principal, the shift in my position involved changing desks from the classroom to the office. I had been assigned a new position in the school, but for many months or even a year or two there were staff who had strong opinions about the way our school should run, I was not yet the leader. I eventually emerged as a leader once I was able to look up from the day to day management of the school and more formally implement vision, direction and plans for development. Today, I must balance both responsibilities suggested by Northhouse, (2016) I must manage and lead.
Management and leadership are complementary concepts and are mutually dependent. Management is essential for maintaining day to day success. Managers keep schedules, balance budgets, and place staff as needed; managers get the job done (Northhouse, 2016). Once healthy daily function is achieved, a leader is free to create vision, communicate goals, build teams, and empower followers (Northouse, 2016). Between the two, leadership is most important. If an organization is left only with management, then the status quo quickly becomes stale and the endeavor obsolete. In a small organization, is it possible for the same person to effectively hold both positions?
Northouse, P. G. (2016). Leadership: theory and practice (Seventh ed.). Los Angeles: Sage Publications.
It sounds like you have effectively performed both roles within your position!
It’s interesting that you note that you had to first take care of the operational and management processes, before moving more into the role of a leader. Do you think that is always the case? Do you think smooth operations must necessarily precede vision?
— Leadership Prof