Management guru Peter Drucker says, “management is doing things right and leadership is doing the right things.” This is not to suggest that a good manager cannot be a powerful leader. It only means that a manager-leader can be effective if he or she does the right things at the right time. If not, he or she is either just a manager or a mere leader. It brings us to different leadership styles and how modern day managers have to assume different avatars in different situations.
Evolving organisations demand that their manager-leader dons at least five roles in his or her career. This is as relevant in the Indian scenario as in any other global economy. While taking on different roles, the manager-leader also has to follow different leadership styles: democratic at times, authoritarian at times and sometimes delegating the responsibilities. These styles have to change with the situation and the role the manager-leader adopts. Leadership style, therefore, has to be synchronous with management approach.
Innovation-driven thinkers: When the organisation is in its growth phase, the economy is on an upturn and there is an unbroken stream of competitors rushing into the market. The need of the hour then is to be democratic.
Downturn managers: With the economic cycles getting shorter, crests and troughs have become more frequent than ever. Therefore a manag
Acquisition strategists: Today’s competitive environment demands that companies put in place and implement acquisition plans that fit into their growth strategy. Profit drivers: Key performance indicators for any manager-leader are hard figures. Quarterly performance assessments are quantitative indicators of what the company is delivering to its stakeholders.
er-leader in a 30-year career may have to deal with 3-4 such cycles, if not more.
