direct and control subordinates, while serving as liaison between lower and upper levels of an organization (MacLennan 20). Managers must often be able to perform at least some of the tasks of their subordinates, and are often promoted from within the workgroup to the managerial position. However, the role of manager goes beyond supervisor.
As part of the directing and planning functions, managers must be able to understand budgets and work within certain parameters to ensure that their group's goals and objectives are achieved. Managers often are project managers, as well, making sure that subordinates have the right tools and resources to perform their tasks, and removing obstacles to achieving goals before they become problematic. Managers must also be able to understand the vision of the organization as a whole and translate that broad vision into the specific work that a particular area performs (Rogers, Pace and Wilson 3).
Leadership can be viewed as a skill that managers may want to possess. Leadership is concerned with motivating subordinates and communicating a vision. While effective managers incorporate leadership skills into their daily work life, few companies have job titles such as "Accounting Leader" or "Marketing Leader." However, "Accounting Manager" and "Marketing Manager" are common titles in most organizations. Where the title "leader" is used in job titles, it is generally at lower levels of an organization where a "Group Leader" may be responsible for keeping a specific project team on track, but without the other responsibilities (budgetary, for example) that accompany a manager's job (Marlow 42).
Given that leadership is a part of a manager's role, it is important to understand the various types of leadership that may be found in organizations. Transactional leadership suggests that leaders respond to lower level subordinate basic and security needs. Leaders and subordinates are viewed as barg...