Page 59 - CMA Journal (Jan-Feb 2026)

Articles Section

Having outlined leadership process, it is appropriate to describe how leading is not managing.

Leading Managing
Leaders have a role amongst people. Managers have legitimate authority over people.
Interactions between leader and followers are Interactions between managers and subordinates are
relational they relate to each other as group transactional and the relationship is of mutual
members consideration.
A leader pursues similar goals and performs similar A manager is the representative of the management
tasks, with an additional role of coordinating others. (organization), responsible for getting the
organizational tasks done through subordinates.
Leading entails role modeling and coordinating Managing aims to planning, organizing, directing and
individuals’ actions thus enabling everyone to controlling others’ actions to achieve organizational
perform in harmony. goals through them.
A leader is as much responsible for doing similar tasks A manager is not directly responsible for performing
as part of his or her job as much others are – A the same tasks but s/he needs to manage the actions
captain of a cricket team must bat, bowl and do of others.

others play.

Both leader and followers are accountable to a Manager is accountable to third entity (Management)
common third entity (Management). Yet a leader has and subordinates are accountable to the manager –
an additional role vis-à-vis followers – accountability the accountability is sequential.
is parallel.

Summing Up managers and non-managers are both encouraged to
take up real leadership roles for their own and collective
Leadership has become popular title commanding
good. However, no manager should assume being a
status and fulfilling ego. However, we seldom make
leader simply by virtue of his or her designation and
distinction between ceremonial, pseudo and real
without walking through the leadership process.
leaders. Consequently, developing and practicing real
leadership is generally perceived within the bounds of On the contrary, ceremonial and pseudo leaders are
ceremonial and pseudo leaders. self-proclaimed leaders and tend to live in denial, they
hold themselves above others and control them to their
Real leaders are a model of par excellence both morally
advantage and often subscribe to amoral values. Their
and professionally, enabling collective success not just
examples are all over, no need to elaborate. In short, they
their goals, Such as, our first-generation leaders who had
perceive leadership as their right by virtue of status,
first awakened the people and then walked with them to
authority and professional title.
earn an independent nation - Pakistan. They lived with a
legitimate mission and high moral values and led The above discussion is by no means undermining
(coordinated) others too on the path of liberation. They managing process but to zero-in on leadership as a
sacrificed their lust and comfort and encouraged others separate role. In fact, both managing and leading are
too. The same goes for many individuals in social and essential in a social and work settings. Neither can
professional settings who live their social and compensate for the other.
professional lives with a clear purpose, uphold high
The above discussion only explores tip of real
moral values, demonstrate self-regulation, perseverance
leadership. It is imperative that academic researchers
and patience while encouraging others to follow. More
who would be more knowledgeable and better
precisely, real leaders walk and lead others out of
equipped with research methods than me, may
darkness into light. Quote, “Indeed, We [Allah] sent
contribute to describing real leadership.
Moses with Our signs, ordering him, “Lead your people
out of darkness and into light and remind them of Allah’s About the Author: The author writes in management and personal
days of favor .” Surely in this are signs for whoever is development, and is an HR/Organizational Development (OD)
steadfast, [and] grateful.” Unquote. Noble Quran 14:5 consultant and Executive Coach. In addition to his own freelance
activities, he holds a volunteer position as Sr. Advisor / Collaborator
More so, real leadership is about walking on the path of at Consultra – an educational and training consultancy.a – an
success and helping others to do so. In a business setting, educational and training consultancy.

ICMA’s Chartered Management Accountant, Jan-Feb 2026 57