DISCUSSION 4

Modules 8-7 Discussion: These questions are designed to provide possible pathways for discussion.
There is no need for each person to answer all the questions. Also, please feel free to discuss other ideas
(i.e. from the recommended readings) that are not included in this list of questions.

How is leadership different from management?

Anecdotally speaking, a manager is usually associated with a person that oversees the
mundane aspects of a department within an organization, or even the organization itself. That
person is more concerned with making sure that the production of goods and services goes as
planned. It is more concerned with short-term outcomes. It focuses on entitys functions such as
planning and control.
In contrast, a leader is normally associated with a persons capacity to influence other through
a process toward attainment of organizational goals whether short term, midterm, or long term. A
leader is typically associated with a relationship with his/her follower(s) by providing a clear
vision, coaching, and motivation toward departmental/organizational success. Moreover,
leadership seems to be a more complex subject of study as it involves different styles based on
organization or team nature, the leaders capability, and the leaders personality, among many
other aspects.
More specifically, a typical difference between the two, which is supportive by research, is that
[] People dont want to be managed; they want to be led. Management is a function
that must be exercised in any business or team, whereas leadership is a relationship
between the leader and the led that can energize a team or organization [] Leadership is
the ability to influence people to achieve the goals of a team (Thompson, 2011, p. 262).
In what ways do the leadership concepts discussed in the text affect work in teams?
In different ways. First, we saw in chapter two the importance of an integrated approach of
Teamwork, that included essentials conditions such as ability, motivation, and strategy
(Thompson, 2011). Leadership, therefore, ought to identify and consistently coach a diverse
array of players for his or her team toward a successful outcome. Second, and most important, in
my opinion, leadership personality and style can affect either positively or negatively the
motivation and ultimate cohesion of the team. For this reason,
[] A new image of leadership is necessary, one that is associated with being a leader
among equals, rather than a leader of followers. Teams (or at least some teams) are often
composed of talented individuals selected for their specific knowledge or skills to fit a
particular role; in this case, the leader as director is not the right image. The leader as
coordinator or assembler may be a better image. When this is true, the leader functions
better, activities are performed better, teams work better, and the organization is more
successful (ibid, p. 292).

Lastly, Northouse (2013) provides very insightful conclusions about the dynamic between
leaders and team members, based on the Team Leadership model. He argues that this model,
while extremely important in the literature, it has both strengths and weaknesses:
[] One of the strengths of this model is that it is designed to focus on the real life
organizational work group and the leadership needed there in. [] In addition, the reallife focus on performance and team effectiveness enables leaders and members to
diagnose and correct team problems. [Moreover,] [t]he responsibilities or functions of
team leadershipsuch as setting goals, coaching, and rewardinghistorically have
rested with the groups formal leader, but now, with organizational restructuring, these
duties and responsibilities often are distributed across the team. [One of the weaknesses
of this model is that it] [] does not provide on-the-spot answers to specific problems
facing the team leader, such as When is the best time to intervene? [or] What do you
say to a member who is upset and crying (pp. 305-306).
In what ways would designing work for a virtual team be different from designing work
for a face-to-face team?
As organizations design teams, it is paramount that leaders understand that both approaches are
necessary depending on organizational structure and nature of project. As organizations become
regional and even international, the evidence suggests that virtual teams seem to be more
appropriate. Nonetheless, it is important to recognize that
[] Virtual Teams are not just necessary for companies that have multiple sites; they
offer some distinct advantages over traditional teams [] First, virtual teams combine
the best talents of people in companies, thereby allowing better use of human resources.
And because of their virtual nature, they can provide team members with a level of
empowerment that more traditional teams do not enjoy. [Thompson, 2011, p. 333).
In contrast, designing face-to-face teams would require a different approach. The reason, among
other things, is that
[..] Face-to-face contact is crucial in the initiation of relationships and collaborations.
People are more cooperative when interacting face-to-face than via other forms of
communication. Without face-to-face communication, relationships between
businesspersons are often strained and contentions. Face-to-face meetings are ideal when
teams must wrestle with complex problems (ibid, p. 319).
Lastly, the question that perhaps a leader can ask is Which team design is better? Thompson
(2011) suggests that both are essential and both have strengths and shortcomings:
[] There is a strong intuition in the business world that face-to-face communication is
necessary for trust, understanding, and enjoyment. However, face-to-face communication
in no way ensures higher productivityespecially in the case of creative teams.
Information technology can increase productivity in teams. The skill manager knows
when to use it, and knows which obstacles are likely to crop up when using it, and how to
address those obstacles (p. 344)

References
Northouse, P. (2013). Leadership: Theory and practice (6th ed.). Thousand Oaks: SAGE.
Thompson, L. (2011). Making the team: A guide for managers (4th ed.). Boston: Prentice Hall.