Before delving into what makes an effective leader, it’s important to understand the difference between leadership and management. While there’s some overlap between the work that leaders and managers do, there are also significant distinctions. Here are three differences between leadership and management.
Process vs. Vision
Effective leadership is centered on a vision to guide change. Whereas managers set out to achieve organizational goals through implementing processes, such as budgeting, organizational structuring, and staffing, leaders are more intent on thinking ahead and capitalizing on opportunities. “I think of management as working with other people to make sure the goals an organization has articulated are executed,” says Harvard Business School Dean Nitin Nohria in the online course Management Essentials. “It’s the process of working with others to ensure the effective execution of a chosen set of goals. Leadership is about developing what the goals should be. It’s more about driving change.”
Organizing vs. Aligning
In the book, On Becoming a Leader, scholar Warren Bennis presents a list of key differences between managers and leaders, including:
• The manager administers; the leader innovates
• The manager maintains; the leader develops
• The manager focuses on systems and structure; the leader focuses on people
Watch this video for Warren Bennis saying on this:
Managers pursue goals through coordinated actions and tactical processes, or tasks and activities that unfold over stages to reach a certain outcome. For example, they may implement a decision-making process when leading a critical meeting, or when devising a plan for communicating organizational change. Leaders, on the other hand, are less focused on how to organize people to get work done and more on finding ways to align and influence them.
Position vs. Quality
The title “manager” often denotes a specific role within an organization’s hierarchy, while referring to someone as a “leader” has a more fluid meaning.
“Manager is a title. It’s a role and set of responsibilities,” writes leadership coach Doc Norton in Forbes. “Having the position of manager does not make you a leader. The best managers are leaders, but the two are not synonymous. Leadership is the result of action. If you act in a way that inspires, encourages, or engages others, you are a leader. It doesn’t matter your title or position.”
Leadership is a quality that needs to be shaped. Through learning how to influence others, you can build greater self-awareness and boost your team’s performance.
Understanding how the work of a leader differs from that of a manager is foundational to your leadership journey.
Drawn from Harvard Business School