Leadership AND/OR Management

Many debate the difference between leadership and management. John Kotter the author of the popular book Leading Change provides a defintion that provides clarity for me. He states that leadership is about change and management is about keeping order. In fact, several textbook definitions of management state that management is about budgeting, controling, monitoring, etc. On the other hand, leadership is typically associated with establishing a vision and moving forward. When I think about both of these definitions, it is difficult for me to think about a CEO that doesn’t do both. Moreover, it is difficult to find a frontline manager on the shop floor that doesn’t do both as well.  Both need to organize, monitor, etc. AND they need to paint a picture of the future for others. The concept of leadership is not leadership OR management, it is Leadership AND management. I believe the concept of leadership and management is actually a polarity that needs to be managed. This means that individuals with direct reports need to lead and manage. They need to find a way to provide structure AND create movement. John Collins the author of the best selling book ‘Built to Last’ states that outstanding organizations avoid the Tyranny of OR and tap into the Genius of AND. To that end, the concept of polarity leads me to believe that we may need a new definition of Leadership AND Management.