Management Graduates are good Managers but Poor Leaders

What is the difference ?

Management is an art of getting the things done from the people

Leadership is an act of influencing people to strive towards common goals

The difference is We, the people.

What are Management Graduates? Manager or Leader

Manager

• Relies on control
• Short Term Perspective
• Asks How and When
• Can imitate
• Accepts Status Quo
• Does things right

Leader

• Inspires trust
• Long Term Perspective
• Asks What and Why
• Originates
• Challenges it
• Does right things

Management Students’ Views

• Every Management Graduate is a combination of both
• Academically, he/she behaves as per his/her areas of interest ignoring the holistic view
• Every person is a manager, however everyone cannot be a leader

Is the current syllabus too theoretical?

• X no. of subjects are such where students behave as if they are made to study
• The same applies to some professors also who are least bothered about spreading knowledge and just count their no. of hours
• The first year in MBA is considered to be as common base for all the students. Does this require a change ?(e.g. Will an HR student ever use Kruskal Wallis Formula on the job)

Is the Voice of students considered?

• Some institutions carry on with the same syllabus for years
• The teacher (speaker) and the students(audience) changes, the concepts remain the same
• Why is Marketing taught theoretically? Why not some live assignments compulsory?
• In HR, the names of the theories are different. But the content is more or less similar
• Do exams really test the students?

Why are differences observed?

Manager Type Management Graduate

• Completes assignments and is stuck on Facebook
• Ignores responsibility assuming that someone from the team will complete the work
• Seeks rewards in terms of marks
• Has a tendency to avoid experimenting
• Initiates work with average enthusiasm
• Most of them are ignorant about current affairs
• Says ‘Not my Job’

Leader Type Management Graduate

• Has a tendency to try new combinations
• Initiates work with maximum enthusiasm
• Makes an effort to keep himself updated
• Takes additional responsibility from learning perspective
• Thinks of new ideas, improvises upon the existing work further
• Takes accountability for others as well as himself
• Seeks rewards in terms of recognition

21 Qualities of a Leader, Can Management Education teach it?

1)      Character – No

2)      Charisma – Is possible

3)      Commitment – No

4)      Communication – Yes

5)      Competence – Yes

6)      Courage – No

7)      Discernment – No

8)      Focus – Is possible

9)      Generosity – No

10)  Initiative – No

11) Listening – Yes

12) Passion – No

13) Positive Attitude – No

14) Problem Solving – Yes

15) Relationships – Is possible

16) Responsibility – Yes

17) Security – Yes

18) Self Discipline – No

19) Servanthood – Yes

20) Teaching – Yes

21) Vision – Is possible

Everything is Numbers

-          9 out of 21 leadership qualities cannot be taught by management education

-          7 out of 21 leadership qualities can be taught by management education

-          The remaining 5 are based upon the person and the situation

‘You cannot teach anyone, its the learner who learns’

5 % of the current Management system looks forward, 95% lives in past and present

-          Leaders are born and not made is still a matter of debate

-          Man + Age = Manage

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@ SURESH REDDY