Explain, with concrete examples, the differences among leadership, management, and followership.
ANSWER
Leadership, management, and followership are distinct but interconnected roles in an organization or group.
Leadership entails guiding and inspiring others toward a common vision or goal, often accomplished through charisma, vision, and emotional intelligence. Martin Luther King Jr., Mahatma Gandhi, and Nelson Mandela are examples of leaders.
Management, on the other hand, entails the planning, organization, and control of resources in order to achieve specific goals. Managers frequently wield formal authority and use it to direct and coordinate the work of others. CEOs, supervisors, and project managers are all examples of managers.
Individuals’ ability to work effectively as team members and support the group’s goals and objectives is referred to as followership. Followers are frequently perceived as passive, but they play an important role in carrying out the plans and strategies of leaders and managers. Employees, team members, and volunteers are examples of followers.
In nursing, a nurse can serve in all three roles simultaneously. During a crisis, for example, a nurse may lead a team of healthcare workers, manage resources such as medications and equipment to ensure patients receive the best possible care and follow the orders and guidance of the physician in charge.
However, in nursing, leadership, and management are more likely to overlap, as nurses are frequently responsible for managing resources and directing the work of other healthcare professionals. Nurses may also act as followers when working with physicians or other senior healthcare professionals.
When it comes to political leaders, there are frequently clear distinctions between leadership and management abilities. A leader, for example, may be skilled at inspiring and motivating followers toward a common goal. In contrast, a manager may be skilled at organizing and coordinating resources to achieve specific goals.
Jacinda Ardern, the Prime Minister of New Zealand, is a current example of a political leader demonstrating strong leadership qualities. Ardern is known for her compassionate and empathetic leadership style, demonstrated in the aftermath of the Christchurch mosque shootings and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ardern’s management abilities have also been lauded, including her ability to organize and coordinate resources to achieve specific goals. For example, she successfully implemented a lockdown strategy in New Zealand to control the spread of COVID-19, which has been lauded as one of the most effective in the world.
New Zealand’s citizens and her political colleagues and advisors are among Ardern’s supporters. As a leader, she has emphasized the importance of collaboration and working together toward a common goal, contributing to New Zealanders’ sense of community and solidarity.
QUESTION
Leader Vs. Manager
Explain, with concrete examples, the differences among leadership, management, and followership. Then, discuss the following:
At times, do the examples overlap with a nurse acting in all three capacities at the same time?
Are two of the three capacities more likely to overlap? If yes, which two capacities?
Pick a current local, state, or national political leader and differentiate the leadership and management qualities of the leader. Who are these leaders and followers?