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Leadership vs. Management is not a contest. They are both equally important.
There is no one right way to lead or manage. It’s something I am certain of.
Every person you work with is unique and has their own motivations. Every leader and manager has their own ways of motivating people. Both being a leader and a manager have their advantages. People need to be managed as well as motivated, inspired,, and led.
While there are many great managers who can facilitate projects and work and get it done as they should, what are some traits that leaders possess that encourage change and push the status quo?
Here are some key differences between leading and managing. To become a great PM, you need to combine the best of both. My hot out-the-oven takes below.
One of the most important parts of being a project manager is to “manage”. It’s not hard to see why. In the early years of my career, it felt like I was balancing micromanagement and managing. Instead, I wanted to feel like I was helping my team get the job done by being an inspirational leader and manager without getting bogged down in the details. How do you know if you are leading or managing? What does it take?
What is the Difference Between Leadership and Management?
Before we get into the details, let’s first define what leadership and management are. We will then discuss their strengths and roles. What is the real difference between leadership and management?
This is not a scientific example and it is not the job description for either role.
It is important to remember that “leader” is a rare role in an organization. It’s rare for someone to be called Director of Leadership.
I have not met one. There are however managers at all levels and on many teams within organizations. How does leaders compare to managers?
What is a Manager?
Management is everywhere, and there are many job titles for managers. All of us are project managers. Some project managers may have their own managers. What is management? What are the characteristics of a great manager? What is a manager supposed to do?
What can we do, seriously?
Managers do a lot, including managing people or projects. There are many more roles than just managing people and projects. But, when we boil it down, we manage things (a project’s scope, budget, timeline, and people) as well as our team and clients. We also “manage up” to our managers. This is also true for other industries.
Let’s take, for example, an industry that is completely different from ours and draw parallels. “Executive chef” is one example. They manage the menu, the kitchen, and the people. Sometimes, the diners as well. What is the difference between a manager or a leader?
What is a Leader?
While “leader” might not be a specific job in a company, there are certain traits and qualities that leaders have in common. Leaders are often seen as those who manage a group of people or an entire organization.
What does it take to lead a group? Are only CEOs and heads of departments qualified to lead? Are leaders born? What are the characteristics of a leader? What does a leader do? Below are some insights into these leadership-related issues.
What is leadership to you?
To be honest, it was difficult for me to write this article. Managers and leaders do not have to be mutually exclusive, I believe. It’s difficult to distinguish between leaders and managers.
Two points are made about leadership in the context project management.
Great leaders are those who get the job done, complete work effectively, and ensure that projects are profitable. They might not be able to b