Management versus leadership essay

Leaders may not always have the intellect but they have instincts that engage others to use their intellect to support them. Good leaders are expected to tune into the needs of an organization while driving the mission and guiding values they define their path. Effective leaders are first of all effective in managing themselves-? their time, their focus of attention, and their emotions. They know their strengths and weaknesses, their habits of thought and biases, their likes and dislikes. Some spontaneity and the free expression of feelings and emotional reactions, but it does to mean they are overly reserved or inflexible. Leaders who succeed are able to manage stress, bounce back from frustration and setbacks, and devote time to important areas of life outside work. They are realistically optimistic and show a healthy degree of independence and self-reliance.

Effective leaders exercise formal and informal power, influence, and authority without overwhelming coworkers. They adapt the style and intensity of their leadership to fit the situation and are able to function in a subordinate role when necessary. Cotter (2012) states that leaders are expansible for driving change and helping the employees accept and cope with the changes. According to Cotter (2012) it is important to acknowledge the need for more leaders to help organizations align people with their mission and vision. Leadership in Action Clarence Otis is the current CEO of Darned Restaurants. Darned owns several familiar restaurant brands such as: Olive Garden, Longhorn Steakhouse and Bahamas Breeze. Darned continues to be the largest restaurant company.

Mr.. Otis has a very determined vision and he continues to be innovative in his strategies to improve the customer experience. It is very difficult to watch television for more than an hour and not see a marketing ad from one of the many restaurants of the Darned Brand. Recently it was in the news that Darned sold Red Lobster because they felt that it did not meet the vision that Mr.. Otis has for the Company. He is attempting to move towards the consumers that spend more than the average meal at Red Lobster.

This was a brave move because this restaurant is well known and well-liked by thousands of consumers. The impact that this change could have on the company could be erroneous. When looking at a CEO like Mr.. Otis one can only imagine what attributes have led to his success.

In an interview on TV Mr.. Otis said that when he walks into someone else’s restaurant he looks at how long it takes them to acknowledge him. He understands customers and he trains his team to look at the people they serve.

In the Red Lobster sale it was obvious to Mr.. Otis that the culture was changing and that consumers where not eating this type of food as often. He was able to assess the strengths and weaknesses of this brand and make a decision eased on objective information and subjective instincts. Mr.. Otis continues to make decisions that he believes in and he has led a fortune 500 company for almost 10 years. The success of this company is known all across the world.

He continues to improve the current brands and to seek out new ventures that will improve the company. His focus is on customer satisfaction and providing options. He has realized that customer must be provided with a balance of new choices and traditional expectations. Currently he built a headquarters in Orlando, Florida in an effort to test and create new menus. He has developed a culture in his business that requires that managers visit customers and ensure they have a favorable experience.

Conclusion Leadership requires individuals who are influential while possessing drive and vision. These individuals can create a mission and base all their actions on their vision. Morehouse (2013) defines a task oriented leader as one that ensures that they have defined the roles of each employee while letting them know the expectations. He further states a leader strong in relationships can provide a way to ensure that employees are comfortable at work.