A balancing act

Other scholars have varying definitions of leadership and management but “do not assume that the leader and the manager are different people” (Yukl, 2010, p. 7). Mintzberg (1973, in Yukl, 2010) argued that leadership pervades all other managerial roles. Kotter (1990) saw management as a process for creating order and predictability and leadership as a process to drive change. Though he saw them as different functions, Kotter argued that both are necessary and that the situation determines the proper balance of leadership and management.

For example, smaller organizations might need a larger infusion of leadership. As they grow, they need more management. The more dynamic and uncertain the external environment, the more leadership is necessary to drive continuous adaptation and transformation.