Appointments

Exclusive, mutual differences between leaders and managers

2013-01-10T00:00:00Z

TO a lay-person, there appears no clear distinction between a leader and manager, after all, they are both at the fore front of driving processes in organisation. But to organisational behaviour scholars, leadership and management are two distinctive but complimentary activities in an organisation.

Indeed, while both leaders and managers are necessary, their purposes and functions in the organisation are different.

In one of his treatise, renown scholar, Stephen Covey described management as “putting first things first day-by-day” even as he stated that leadership on the other hand decides first things.

Another set of scholars asserted that management is concerned with coping with complex, modern organisations while leadership is about coping with change.

Managers try to manage complexity by planning, budgeting, setting goals, establishing steps to achieve goal. Leaders try to effect organisational change through setting a direction, developing vision, values, missions along with strategies for producing change.

Management achieves its plans by organising and staffing, creating organisational structures and set of jobs for accomplishing goals such as staffing the organisation with qualified staff, communicating plans, delegating responsibility and devising systems to monitor implementation.

But leaders alight people by communicating the new direction to those who can create conditions that understand the vision and are committed to its attainment.

However, despite various theories of leadership espoused by behavioural psychologists, each theory of leadership does not give unassailable answers to sources of leadership effectiveness.

If this is so, the question that readily comes to mind is, can effective leaders be made through training and acquisition of skills? Hallam (1999) says yes is the answer. His reason is that “competence transcends all cultures, responsibility also counts. Therefore, people can be made to learn necessary skills, competencies and characteristics. But its is yet to be properly situated through research studies how such characteristics interact with people, culture, tasks and contexts to produce effective leaders.”

While it can also be said that leaders can manage and managers can lead, it is becoming clearer in business and organisations that some leaders don’t manage and many managers don’t provide leadership.

Many times those that aspire to managerial positions or status, do so for the perceived power that they have over other people. While certainly there are times when it is beneficial to have a manager over a leader – most businesses benefit much greater having someone to lead them, someone they can follow and have confidence in.

Note that this post isn’t intended to take a low shot at those whose position might formally be called a “manager.” Rather, this post is to highlight how you might become a better leader in your workplace. Whether you have the formal title of “manager” or not, becoming a leader takes patience, trust, and a multitude of other traits that you must develop over time.

The real difference between managers and leaders.

A manager is a title that can be given that signifies a position – a leader is a title that other people give you.

The differences between leadership and management.

Managers demand respect – leaders command respect.

When you are with a group of people it will immediately become apparent those, who are managers and those, who are leaders. When managers ask or tell people to do something the people do it because of the structure that has been set in place. Leaders will tell or ask people to do something and they do it out of respect. Many times you will find that leaders will have people doing things that they never asked them to do and going above and beyond what is asked.

Managers have subordinates – leaders have followers.

When it comes to accomplishing a task, a manager tells those under them what to do – whether they like it or not. Leaders have people that are willing and happy to do something (even if they don’t like the task) because of the respect that they have for the leader.

Managers tend to have a different mindset as well thinking that those beneath them are actually inferior. Leaders, on the other hand, tend to rise to the top and are viewed by others as the person in charge – whether they have an official title or not.

Leaders create an aura of “we’re all in this together” while managers have a “you need to do this” mentality.

What are the differences?

Gathered from a few different resources and articles, there are significant ways in which leaders and managers differ:

• Managers administer - leaders innovate

• Managers demand - leaders command

• Managers maintain - leaders develop

• Managers focus on systems – leaders focus on people

• Managers strive for control – leaders inspire trust

• Managers have short-term view – leaders have a long-term goal

• Managers are focused on the bottom line – leaders are focused on potential

• Managers imitate - leaders originate

• Managers do things right – leaders do the right thing

• Managers state their position – leaders earn their position

The terrible thing is that the vast majority of managers out there actually think that they are leaders, when in fact, they command little to no respect and they are a leader in their mind only.

True leaders will upset people sometimes, but they still have those that will stick by their side. When a manager truly needs help outside of the scope of their duties, few (if any) will stand up to assist.

Forum urges accountability in councils

2013-01-10T00:00:00Z

AS the complaints of non performance by political holders at the third tier of government continues to generate debates across the country, Nigerians have been tasked to hold leaders at the local government levels for non performance just as they were advised to insist on voting the right people rather than the practice of “imposition and selection” by the ruling political parties in the states.

This issue generated debate among participants at the 3rd Onaivi Mozai Memorial Lecture (OMML), held in Igarra, headquarters of Akoko-Edo local government council in Edo state where participants, however, agreed that the country was on the right track to good governance since 1999 but added that the leaders needed to do more to curb corruption.

Delivering a paper on Good governance: Is Nigeria on the right track? Former Executive Director, Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO), Abdul Oroh said there was need for accountability by political office holders and this he said must be demanded by the governed.

“Our failure to enthrone good governance can only be overcome if we campaign vigorously, act effectively to demand and insist on accountability.

“Accountability can be vertical (to the voters at the ballot box) and horizontal (to other institutions within the government to monitor, unravel and punish wrong doing - the courts, EFCC and the police.

“After 12 years and three Presidents, have we achieved what can, by any measure, we shall call democracy which is a necessary condition for good governance? Looking back at the last twelve years can we say that we have democratic process that can stimulate further democratisation, by strengthening freedom, contestation, political participation and debate?

“In my life time I have had the privilege and honour of working as a journalist, a social activist and a human rights campaigner. I have monitored elections and I have contested elections. I have served at parliament at the federal level and as a state commissioner. With the benefit of my experience I make bold to say that change can come to Nigeria. There is corruption in all countries, America, Britain, India, Brazil, China, among others. Corruption is a universal problem and different tools must be applied in tackling it.”

Setting the tone for discussion, chairman of the occasion, Tallest Amune said it was still surprising to many Nigerians why politicians were scared of convoking a national conference as being demanded adding that various town hall meetings so far held on constitution review were yet to get universal acceptance by they because Nigerians still doubt the sincerity of representation of most of them.

Amune, an economist also queried the lack of political will to prosecute corrupt public office holders by the judiciary. “We breathed a sigh of relief in this country in the wake of landmark judicial pronouncements in electioneering cases particularly against the ruling party. In sharp contrast, we have seen our leaders escaping the wrath of law in glaring cases of corruption, brazen embezzlements, flagrant abuse if power and total disregard to the rule of law”

NCDMB to create jobs through pipe mills

2013-01-10T00:00:00Z

THE Nigeria Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) is setting machineries in motion to ensure the establishment of five additional pipe mills in the country to further boost job creation efforts of the Federal Government.

The Executive Secretary of the Board, Ernest Nwapa said recently that the move would reduce time spent in the processing contract circles as industry operators groan under contract delays and empower the oil and gas sector to create massive jobs.

His words, “the issue of delay because of paper work is symptomatic. The root cause of delay is because of lack of capacity. We are focusing on building capacity because the lack of it is causing delays. Before NCDMB was created, the issue of long contracting circles has always been there well and alive.

“Delayed contracts are not the creation of the NCDMB nor are the making of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). It is largely caused by the simple reason that people have to go to far-flung places to get goods and services.

“The decision to give a job is influenced by the availability of satisfying technical requirements. But the question is that how is that determined when the equipment is not even available in Nigeria? Most times people have to go on inspection of all of these abroad and take a decision on owns it. The real fundamental decision on ownership on where equipment is manufactured, by who is most crucial. But by the grace of God, if we succeed in what we are doing which is ensuring that most of the equipment are manufactured here in Nigeria, we will be in a position to embark on inspection on the quality of products on time and the process of taking real ownership of the manufacturing chain will then be ours.

“Our target is to have three to four pipe mills in the Nigeria between now and the next five years. It is only then that we can take real ownership of the processes here in Nigeria and thus empower our people to raise their stakes in the oil and gas industry.”

Nwapa also stressed the need for communities where oil is explored to have more stakes saying industry operators must engender means through which community members would be made aware of the existing opportunities inherent in the industry.

“Although this is a Nigerian Content, it is necessary to have community focus. This is the main essence of having the Nigerian Content in the first place. We have to continue to create the awareness so that people in the oil producing communities will know more about the existing opportunities, methods and ways of participating in the process.

“The way the industry was run from the capital cities of the country had exposed people living in those urban capitals to the business more than the communities where the product is being extracted. But that is changing as evidence in the Nigerian Content law.

“We must appreciate the fact that the change we desire cannot be achieved over a very short period of time. We are engaging young companies in the process now regularly and I am happy to inform that the local companies are beginning to raise their ante in the industry. Nevertheless it takes time to see and feel the impacts of government policies.

“Government cannot in one step stop people who are already participating there. In creating this opportunities we must first of all create the necessary awareness for Nigerians to know the kinds of opportunities in the industry and then know how to participate,” he explained.

The NCDMB boss added that the days when foreigners come into Nigeria, make money and spirit the money away are over, saying, “we must tie employment generation of our people to oil business in the country. We will no longer seat by and watch job opportunities that should go to our people elude them.”

He also emphasised that conducting trainings without providing jobs is not good enough adding that going forward, to qualify to play in the industry, companies have to demonstrate to the Board in clear and concrete terms that they are running an employment generation company.

He stated that the recently signed agreement between the Board and Petroleum Technologists Association of Nigeria (PETAN) is expected to add pep to the job creation efforts.

He added, “the most focal and feasible set of people in the sector that can generate jobs and create opportunities for local communities are the PETAN members. That is the reason we signed a memorandum of understanding with them on this initiative.

“Most companies, who bid for these lots are PETAN members and we believe that having them on board will increase the chance of success of this initiative. We have designed the MoU is such a way that companies would employ people and place them on tutelage programme and the Board would start training programmes for these new set of employees. This means that the employees are trained in readiness for contract take-off.

“So, instead of waiting for the project to be awarded first and workers are taken on board as trainees during the project, we have turned that around by training the workers first and then fix them as already trained workers during the project proper.

“We plan to work with the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) on this project. We believe that the PTDF would be an interested party in this new initiative because we are looking at how we use the trainees that have been trained in the industry.”

Delta abolishes automatic promotion for teachers

2013-01-10T00:00:00Z

DELTA State government has cancelled automatic promotion of teachers in the state unified teaching service.

The state Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, who announced this recently in Asaba, said the era of mass promotion of teachers in the state teaching service was over.

The governor said that henceforth all promotions would be based on job performance stressing that the idea was to encourage hardwork and development in the educational sector.

He said that about 1400 teachers on salary grade level 16 do not teach because of their seniority grade level adding that this was not good enough.

His words, “we do not like the situation because it is not just only unhealthy but counter productive as it will not promote good academic performance by students.’’

Uduaghan called on persons in positions of authority to strive to influence the society positively and excel in assigned duties so that they would be a rolemodel to others.

Speaking further, he said appropriate measures have been taken to address the flood challenge to check future occurrence in the state even as he explained that the strategies adopted will effectively prevent flooding.

The governor commended the founder and presiding Pastor of the Pasture of Life Christian Church, Reverend Jude Akhere and other church leaders for believing in the state government and for standing by him in all his governorship elections.

He recalled that Rev. Akhere mobilised other church leaders to pray for the success of his re-run elections and expressed gratitude for the support.

Uduaghan pledged support for the expansion effort of the church adding that the road construction leading to the church earlier abandoned would be rewarded to a more competent contractor.

In a brief response, the Pastor of the Pasture of Life Church, Rev. Akhere preached on the sermon “2013 year of influence.”

He reminded Christians that they were uniquely created by God to influence the society positively and should increase their level of commitment in serving God this year.

RestraL names Nwosu new chief responsibility officer

2013-01-10T00:00:00Z

RESTRAL Limited has approved the appointment of Ms. Uchenna Nwosu as its new chief responsibility officer (CRO) effective January 1, 2013.

She took over from Mrs. Uwa Osa-Oboh, who voluntarily resigned after working with the firm for 16 years and holding the post for the past eight years.

Nwosu, a 1985 Masters graduate in Law from the London School of Economics and Political Science, was called to the English Bar in 1987, the Nigerian Bar in 1988. She is a member of the Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, England.

The new CRO spent her early years in England where she also had her university education at the University of Westminster, England.

She has attended various conferences and training, including the Advanced Management Programme at the Lagos Business School in 2002 and in 2010 the Managing Professional Services Firm Programme at the Harvard Business School.

Nwosu is currently at the last lap of bagging a Masters in Business Administration at the University of Warwick, England.

Prior to her new appointment, Nwosu was an executive director with the company.

Before joining ReStraL Limited, she had worked with Leadership and Vision Limited, a firm of Management Consultants where she designed, developed and facilitated various training programmes geared towards developing leadership and managerial skills in people.

She has over six-year banking experience, having worked in the Legal, Treasury and Capital Markets and Investment banking departments of Pacific Merchant Bank Limited.

Nwosu is a certified facilitator of the following FranklinCovey Programmes: “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People,” “The 4 Roles of Leadership,” ““Focus Achieving Your Highest Priorities,” “The Four Disciplines of Execution,” “Leading at the Speed of Trust,” “The 5 Choices to Extraordinary Productivity,” the“ XQ Assessment” and the” Leader in Me.”