Leadership vs. Management
Leadership shows up in many forms-sometimes through formal roles and authority, and other times through expertise, relationships, advocacy, or steady presence during uncertainty. In this video, we intentionally make space for the full range of leadership expressions that exist within occupational therapy, recognizing that all of them matter and contribute to healthy, effective systems.
This video also introduces an important distinction: management and leadership are not opposites, but complementary functions. Management provides structure-systems, processes, accountability, and follow-through-while leadership brings that structure to life through vision, trust, culture, and influence. Challenges often arise not because management exists, but when management is disconnected from leadership. Understanding how these two work together is essential, particularly in complex healthcare and educational environments.
Brene Brown is one of the most well-known researchers in the field of leadership and personal development. While this assessment doesn’t align directly with characteristics of each leadership style discussed in this topic, the results will still provide great insights into areas where you’re already thriving and areas where you can grow. Being honest with your answers is essential, so try to truly reflect before answering each question and search for evidence of examples from your life that justify the score you give yourself.
This is a quick assessment, and while it’s not required, I also encourage you to look deeper into the Daring Leadership tools she has available.
Here is a link to the assessment.
Optional:
This article by Karki et al. (2023) highlights that management focuses on planning, organizing, and controlling systems, while leading centers on vision, influence, and empowering others. It argues that healthcare outcomes improve when professionals are intentionally developed as leaders, not just managers.