MSBL.5100 Transitioning from Manager to Leader
In today's corporate setting professionals aspiring to advance to senior levels must be able to lead. It is true that someone can be a leader without being a manager, and someone can manage without leading. Many managers do not even manage people! However, it has become apparent there are clearly definitive traits, qualities, and characteristics that distinguish the two roles and there is also commonality between them. Those differences and similarities have been the subject of an ongoing great debate throughout the last quarter of a century. It is widely held that leaders influence commitment, whereas managers merely carry out position responsibilities and exercise authority but there are others who believe that there is no reason to separate the functions. Through a combination of classic and contemporary readings, formal and informal case studies, and exposure to unfamiliar scenarios and challenging real-life situations, this course compares and contrasts leading with managing and examines the theories, tools, and practices that drive managers of processes and functions to evolve into leaders who build enduring value for their organizations.