Define leadership and management. Management consists of the reoccurring processes and structures a manager uses to promote order in a system. Leadership embodies the methods a manager employs to promote change. On the Kotter International website, professor John Kotter shows the interconnectedness of these two distinct concepts by depicting how they interact over the lifetime of a company. He argues that during the infancy of a company, managers must exhibit large amounts of leadership to navigate through the tumultuous early years. However, as time goes on, companies accept routines as managers focus more on managing the business.
Focus on the solution to a particular problem. Both leadership and management are frequently involved in resolving managerial issues. For example, a manager may want to impose a quality control system to promote product consistency. However, implementing the new system, if it requires drastic change, will likely require leading employees to accept new routines.
Determine if the solution and/or desired outcome involves imposing structure or effecting change in employees. Leadership attempts to foster change in people, while management aims to maintain organization and predictability. Try practicing with different scenarios to identify the differences.