Question

“Managers are people who do things right, while leaders are people who do the right

thing.” Explain this statement. Was Jack Welsh a leader or a manager? If he was a

leader which leadership theory did he likely subscribe to?

Answer 1

Answer: Managers are people who do things right while the leaders are those people who do the right things. This means that the managers mainly implement policies, procedures and practices in the desired manner inside an organization no matter whether they are right or wrong. They are mainly concerned about implementation. On the other hand, the leaders develop practices, policies and processes that are as per the requirement of the organization and can really help the organization to grow. In other words, the managers have single track focus on implementation while the leaders also take care that what is being implemented is also right.

Jack Welsh a former CEO and Chairman of GE was a leader. He was an achiever and a realist. He not just focused on doing things but he did things that were practical and were really productive. He changed the way in which GE operated and finished bureaucracy inside the organization. In his work life and the books he has written he discussed about real life rather than philosophy. He subscribed to the transformational theory of leadership that focuses on developing and transforming people and organizations.