The Way I See It

Jeehyun Davis

Leadership Meets Management

Blurring Boundaries for Success

Jeehyun Davis is the university librarian at American University, email: jeehyundavis@american.edu.

© 2025 Jeehyun Davis

For decades, scholars and practitioners have debated the distinction between leadership and management, often framing them as mutually exclusive domains. However, maintaining rigid boundaries between the two can undermine organizational effectiveness, innovation, and adaptability. Abraham Zaleznik famously differentiated these roles, highlighting fundamental differences in practice and qualities.¹ While this separation was initially helpful for clarifying organizational functions, it has become increasingly
unnecessary—and potentially detrimental—particularly within the dynamic environment of academic libraries, where agility and innovation are paramount.

In the early 20th-century corporate world, management emphasized structure, planning, and execution, whereas leadership was associated with vision, inspiration, and change. This distinction effectively streamlined workflows in industrial contexts, allowing leaders to focus on strategy while managers handled operational execution. Libraries, too, were encouraged to adopt this distinction in the name of efficiency. Yet, applying such a rigid dichotomy to today’s academic libraries—environments built on collaboration, intellectual engagement, and adaptive service—limits their capacity to thrive. It fails to recognize the evolving and fluid nature of organizational roles in modern higher education.

Academic libraries are uniquely positioned to model a more integrated approach. Emphasizing the interconnected and complementary nature of leadership and management allows staff at all levels—including nonmanagerial librarians and support personnel—to develop and exercise leadership competencies. Insisting on a separation between leadership and management roles can result in significant organizational risks.

First, viewing leadership exclusively as the domain of senior administrators creates a disconnect between vision and execution. Managers, excluded from leadership responsibilities, may find it difficult to translate strategic objectives into operational realities. This misalignment can lead to frustration, inefficiencies, and stagnation. In academic libraries, administrators who establish ambitious strategies without managerial insight jeopardize creating strategic plans detached from practical implementation, hindering meaningful progress and creating a sense of disenfranchisement among staff.

Second, a rigid division diminishes innovation among middle managers and nonmanagerial staff alike. Managers relegated solely to operational roles can become passive administrators, lacking the motivation or authority to creatively solve problems. Similarly, nonmanagerial staff, when excluded from strategic involvement, may feel disempowered, limiting their ability to contribute innovatively. By adopting an integrated approach that encourages strategic thinking and creativity across the entire workforce, academic libraries can foster a vibrant, collaborative, and innovative organizational culture. Empowering mid-level managers and frontline staff with leadership responsibilities can significantly boost creativity and responsiveness and strengthen a sense of collective ownership.

Third, maintaining strict distinctions fosters a risk-averse organizational culture. Managers, feeling confined exclusively to established routines, may resist innovation due to perceived role limitations. Likewise, librarians and nonmanagerial staff who view themselves solely as implementers may hesitate to propose or pursue novel ideas. Academic libraries facing rapid technological advances and evolving user needs cannot afford such rigidity, as it stifles adaptability and forward-thinking growth, undermining the library’s ability to remain relevant.

Furthermore, placing charismatic individuals in senior leadership positions without adequate managerial competence can destabilize institutions. While charismatic leaders may inspire initial enthusiasm, a lack of operational acumen often results in ineffective execution, staff frustration, and organizational disillusionment. Effective library leadership requires balancing visionary ambition with practical managerial skills to translate strategic goals into tangible results, ensuring that inspiration is grounded in reality.

Academic libraries benefit immensely from integrating leadership and management functions across all levels. Successful leadership demands robust managerial skills, and effective management requires visionary insight. Academic libraries inherently require roles that blend strategic vision and operational oversight, balancing short-term efficiencies with long-term institutional objectives. Library administrators who skillfully manage collections, digital initiatives, information technology, and research services, while simultaneously articulating a clear strategic vision, exemplify effective integrated leadership and create a cohesive and dynamic organizational environment.

Moreover, developing leadership skills among nonmanagerial staff is essential to encourage widespread innovation and creativity. Staff members at every organizational level should feel empowered to participate strategically, propose innovations, and drive meaningful initiatives. Moving beyond outdated divisions, libraries will thrive by embracing leadership and management as intertwined functions essential to institutional success. When nonmanagerial staff are encouraged and equipped to think creatively and strategically, they can contribute actively to achieving broader institutional goals. This empowerment not only enhances individual morale and motivation but also fosters a forward-thinking organizational culture, where every employee feels valued and capable of making a difference.

To realize this vision, academic libraries must invest in leadership development at every level. Professional development initiatives, cross-departmental projects, mentoring programs, and participatory governance structures can cultivate leadership capabilities among both managerial and nonmanagerial personnel. This inclusive approach enables academic libraries to leverage diverse perspectives, stimulate creative solutions, and adapt proactively to shifting academic landscapes, ensuring the institution’s long-term health and success.

Ultimately, academic libraries will thrive by recognizing leadership and management as interconnected, mutually reinforcing roles. Institutions should strive to create a culture where managerial roles inherently include leadership responsibilities and where leadership potential is nurtured throughout the organizational hierarchy. A holistic approach—one that blurs traditional boundaries—cultivates environments rooted in trust, innovation, and collective purpose.

It is time to transcend outdated dichotomies between leadership and management. Effective library administration requires leaders capable of managing skillfully, managers empowered to lead proactively, and frontline staff engaged in shaping their institution’s strategic direction. By fostering an integrated, inclusive culture of leadership and management, academic libraries can position themselves to thrive in an evolving academic landscape and serve their communities in meaningful and impactful ways.

Note

1. Abraham Zaleznik, “Managers and Leaders: Are They Different?,” Harvard Business Review 55 (1977): 67-78.