Combining leadership & management skills.

• Author: Nollenberger, Karl

Good public sector managers need to be both good managers and good leaders. But what approach to leadership should the public finance manager take? The role of a financial manager cannot be solely the command of the finances; it also needs to include the ability to help the organization achieve its goals. In most governmental organizations, the acceptable leadership approaches have moved away from power-oriented autocratic styles to ones characterized by participatory environments. This shift has occurred within the context of the changing nature of the workforce in recent decades. The increased educational and economic levels of today's workforce have made participatory styles of leadership the preferred models for organizational success, although the definition of the best leadership style ultimately depends upon the situation. Governmental managers must be able to assess the work environment and adapt their style accordingly.

THE NATURE AND FUNCTION OF LEADERSHIP

There are almost as many different definitions of leadership as there are people who have attempted to define it. (1) There is a difference between successful leadership and what some have called headship--being appointed to a role of heading a work unit or organization. Headship is imposed upon the group by outside forces while leadership is accorded by the group to an individual or individuals. Headship is an indicator solely of a position or power relationship while leadership is broader in its coverage. Thus, successful leadership should not be confused with power or with authority. Leadership requires a major expenditure of personal effort and energy beyond just a power relationship. All leaders are actual or potential power holders, but not all power holders are leaders. Power can be a forceful act that induces people to pursue a course of action without a real sense of commitment to that direction. Without buy-in to the direction, the likelihood of success is diminished. Another way of stating this is that "leadership mobilizes, naked power coerces." (2)

There are a variety of functional tasks involved with leadership. The tasks that embody the most significant aspects of leadership include:

* Envisioning goals

* Affirming values

* Motivating people

* Dealing with polarization

* Explaining and teaching

* Serving as a symbol

* Representing the group externally

* Reaching out for new ways.

Effective organizations have goals that they want to achieve. Leaders aid the organization in setting those goals. Organizations have values and culture. A leader identifies and builds upon or changes those values and uses values to give meaning and motivation to help achieve goals. The motivation of people in the organization is crucial to achieving those goals. Leading an organization without anyone following is a useless endeavor. The leader must be able to deal with polarization and conflict in the organization to build a sense of community This is done by being a teacher and coach in a participative environment. "Leadership is at least as much an art as a science, and the key is the people themselves, their ability to know their strengths and skills and to develop them to the hilt. The ability to constructively harness conflict is an important aspect...