Qualification: Level 4 Certificate in Principles of Leadership and Management for Adult Care (RQF)
Unit: Unit 1: Leadership and Management in Adult Care
Learning outcome: 2 Understand the skills needed as a leader and as a manager in adult care settings and why managers in social care need both skill sets
Assessment criteria: 2.1 Critically compare the skills required to be an effective manager and effective leader
- Skills required to be a leader include:
- The ability to inspire others
- Innovation
- Being open to change
- Looking at the ‘big picture’
- Creativity
- Skills required to be a manager include:
- Planning
- Organisation
- Attention to detail
- Problem-solving
- Technical knowledge
- There is also a crossover of skills between the two roles:
- Effective communication – both managers and leaders must be able to communicate effectively, however a manger’s communication may focus on clarity, whilst a leader’s communication may focus on inspiration
- Decision-making – both managers and leaders are responsible for making decisions, however, a manager’s focus will often be on the present situation whilst a leader will usually look at the big picture
- Responsibility and accountable – both leaders and managers should be responsible for their actions and decisions