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Essay / Leadership and Leadership Essay - 1149
THE EXECUTIVE TRINITY: MANAGEMENT, LEADERSHIP AND COMMAND by Lt. Col. Richard MuhirwaLeadership, command and management are three overlapping activities that are often difficult to differentiate and easy to confuse. An individual can do all three at any time; all three are always necessary in varying proportions for the successful accomplishment of a mission, duty or responsibility. Understanding how the three skills are related or how they tend to be similar or different helps us understand their relevance, particularly as they contribute individually or in concert to the prosperity of business and military organizations. Steven Bungay defines the difference between management and leadership, and borrowing from the military, proposes a third concept of command, essential for guiding the activities of an organization. Leadership and management are two action systems that work together to achieve a mission. accomplished. Leadership determines where to go and what to do now and in the future, and charts the direction to get there. Then, management determines how to get there, defining the systems, processes, and techniques needed to achieve and execute the goals. Although previously command tended to be included in leadership, it differs in that it is the rights of authority given to an individual by an external party to exercise it in order to achieve a mission and that it carries responsibilities, duties and accountabilities. Although responsibilities may be delegated or shared, the commander remains responsible for the results of his command (General John A. Wickham). For the prosperity and survival of every organization, each of the elements...... middle of paper..... .rises, as all are key qualities for success in organizations of all kinds. It is the nature of the work and the context that dictates which part to apply when, where and how for the success of a given mission or task. Although management skills are important for military leaders, their techniques and application can prove disastrous if replaced by leadership on the battlefield. And conversely, leadership techniques that work well on the battlefield can prove very futile when replaced by management. What soldiers are prepared to face danger and death in combat for, loyalty, team spirit and morale cannot be instilled by management. Managers can put the most modern and best-equipped force on the field, but lack the skill to motivate men to fight and capture or seize an objective (General John A. Wickham).