INTRODUCTION
The health care environment is constantly changing and producing new challenges that the competent nurse manager must work within (Jooste, 2004). Powerful leadership skills are needed by all nurses – those providing direct care to those in management positions. Anyone who is looked to as an authority or who is responsible for giving assistance to others is considered a leader (Mahoney, 2001).
This assignment provides an avenue for competent nurse managers who also must have the necessary leadership skills to inspire and empower followers and team members. Concepts such as management and leadership will be defined as well as the differentiation between them. We are not all born leaders – leadership skills are developed and the principles are described by self-examination(Jooste, 2011: 31-32).
Competent nurse managers are not merely those who control others, but they act as visionaries who help followers and the team to plan, organize, lead and control their activities. These four management process activities will be discussed ( Jooste, 2004). 1 MANAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP AS CONSEPTS
Management and leadership are not synonymous terms. Leaders are not automatically good managers, and managers are often not effective leaders(Jooste, 2010:26-27). 1.1. MANAGEMENT
The main aim of a manager is to maximize the output of the organization through administrative implementation. According to Blagg and Youngh (2002:1), managers are thought to be the budgeters, the organisers and controllers. To achieve this, managers must undertake the functions of planning, organisation, staffing,directing, and controlling. A manager facilitates the effectiveness of leaders and it is also believed that managers rule! ( Jooste, 2011: 26). Managers are people who do things right (carry out the policy)( Jooste, 2010:26). 2.2 LEADERSHIP
`Leadership is a complex