Management and leadership are very important functions to get a job done. According to Peter Drucker's statement "Management is doing things right and leadership is doing things right", doing things well means being able to achieve good performance, while doing the right things means knowing exactly what to do to achieve good performance. Management is associated with efficiency and involves coordinating people's efforts and allocating resources to maximize productivity, while leadership is with effectiveness, which involves directing and inspiring people to achieve set goals (Sterling, 2014 ). Leadership and management are different but closely linked functions: each is complementary to the other and is essential to guarantee change in achieving strategic objectives and enhancing team performance (SmallBizConnect, 2012). In this article I will explain why knowing yourself and understanding others form the basis for efficient management and effective leadership and how these concepts can be improved. Furthermore, I would explore how management and leadership complement each other in pragmatic leadership and grand debates. First, knowing oneself is continuous attention to one's internal states (Goleman, 1997). It is the ability to see how your emotions and perceptions influence your thinking and behavior. Self-knowledge is the beginning of self-improvement because it helps build confidence and emotional intelligence, which are skills that can be learned and developed over time. Furthermore, to be able to do the right things and do them in the right way, you need to develop talents and strengths by identifying what they are naturally good at and perfecting them, as well as managing their weaknesses. Knowing what you do best will allow you to know...... middle of paper ......ancisco, CA, USA: Jossey-boss.Kwang, H.F., Fernandez , W., & Tan, S. ( 1998). Lee Kwan Yew: the man and his ideas. Singapore: Times Editions, Singapore.Maxwell, J.C. (2011, February 14). Understanding people makes the difference. Retrieved from John Maxwell on Leadership: http://johnmaxwellonleadership.com/2011/02/14/understanding-people-makes-the-difference/SmallBizConnect. (2012). Strategic management module. Retrieved from SmallBizConnect: http://toolkit.smallbiz.nsw.gov.au/part/16/79/341Sterling, P. (2014, January 8). Efficiency versus effectiveness. Retrieved from American Public Works Association: http://www.lcnetwork.co.uk/effectiveness-doing-the-right-things/Wilson, R. (2012, March 2). You are a leader, but how well do you know yourself? The guardian. Retrieved from http://www.theguardian.com/public-leaders-network/2012/mar/02/leadership-self-knowledge