Demystifying Leadership:
Management vs. Leadership
PMI Talent Triangle: Leadership
What Are Managers vs. Leaders?
Whenever I give a talk on leadership and communications, my first question to the audience is, “What is the difference between leadership and management”? Invariably I get a wide range of answers that all touch on good points, because there is no right or wrong answer. My favorite distinction is:
A leader makes sure everyone wants to do their job.”
Here are some other good distinctions I have picked up over the years:
- A leader is the front wheel of a bicycle that sets direction. The manager is the rear wheel that makes the bicycle go.
- A manager executes process. A leader innovates.
- A manager maintains a short-term view. A leader has a long-term perspective.
- A manager watches the bottom line. A leader watches the horizon.
- A manager embraces the status quo. A leader challenges the status quo.
- A manager plans and executes a project. A leader innovates and adapts to change.
A project manager performs three primary functions. First, a project manager is responsible for developing project plans and budgets. Second, a project manager acquires, organizes, and manages people to effectively execute a project. And thirdly, a project manager makes sure her team has adequate resources to carry out the project and solve issues that arise.
A leader’s job is a bit more out-of-the-trenches than a manager’s job. A leader finds ways to motivate individuals on the team, creates a high performing team environment, and promotes the organizational strategy.
A leader’s job is a bit more out-of-the-trenches than a manager’s job. A leader finds ways to motivate individuals on the team, creates a high performing team environment, and promotes the organizational strategy.
A Project Manager cannot ignore the primary functions of project planning, staffing, and managing the team, and acquiring resources. But it is difficult for managers to be effective at these tasks if they do not identify a clear vision and direction for the team, make sure that the right people are in the right place to execute and motivate people to do their job well. It is difficult for me to see how anyone can be one or the other, and not some combination of the two.
Task-Oriented vs. Relationship-Oriented
The common themes in the descriptions of management and leadership above are a task-oriented approach (management) vs. a relationship-oriented approach (leadership). Recognizing that everyone is both a manager and leader, I like to distinguish the skill sets as task-oriented management/leadership and relationship-oriented management/leadership. This allows us to dispense with the one-or-the-other leadership vs. management conversation and switch to whether you are more task-oriented or more relationship-oriented. These two skill sets can clearly be learned, whereas management and leadership are often considered innate skills that we either have or we don’t.
Task-oriented leadership maintains a focus on the job, the mission, and the tasks employees should be doing. Relationship-oriented leadership maintains a focus on the relationship the leader has with the employees. These leadership styles are fundamentally different. The task-oriented leadership is more of a pure management approach where the manager plans the work, assigns the work to individuals, and expects the individuals to carry out that work. The relationship-oriented leader focuses more on motivating individuals and making them feel like they are important and members of a valuable team. That relationship-oriented leader will then have the employees and team members define and execute the work. Task-oriented leadership is directive, whereas leadership-oriented leadership is motivational.
For effective task-oriented leadership the first requirement is that you have a good plan with clearly identified tasks and outcomes. You must provide the team with "SMART" tasks and objectives. SMART objectives are Specific, Measurable, Assignable, Reasonable, and Time-bound. This means that assignments must be well bound with requirements and desired outcomes. Simply assigning someone the task to design a graphical user interface is not a SMART objective. Designing a user interface for a specific app, for a specific audience, using a specific organizational or industry standard, by a certain date is a SMART objective.
For good relationship-oriented leadership there must be a cooperative relationship between the team members and the leader, rather than an antagonistic one. The team members must trust and respect the leader and have confidence that the leader can get the team where it needs to go. This situation can be developed by the leader showing interest in the followers as people, not just employees. The leader must also listen to the team members and trust them to develop good work plans and execute in a coordinated fashion.
How can you tell which leadership style you favor?
Indicators that you are a task-oriented leader:
Task-Oriented vs. Relationship-Oriented
The common themes in the descriptions of management and leadership above are a task-oriented approach (management) vs. a relationship-oriented approach (leadership). Recognizing that everyone is both a manager and leader, I like to distinguish the skill sets as task-oriented management/leadership and relationship-oriented management/leadership. This allows us to dispense with the one-or-the-other leadership vs. management conversation and switch to whether you are more task-oriented or more relationship-oriented. These two skill sets can clearly be learned, whereas management and leadership are often considered innate skills that we either have or we don’t.
Task-oriented leadership maintains a focus on the job, the mission, and the tasks employees should be doing. Relationship-oriented leadership maintains a focus on the relationship the leader has with the employees. These leadership styles are fundamentally different. The task-oriented leadership is more of a pure management approach where the manager plans the work, assigns the work to individuals, and expects the individuals to carry out that work. The relationship-oriented leader focuses more on motivating individuals and making them feel like they are important and members of a valuable team. That relationship-oriented leader will then have the employees and team members define and execute the work. Task-oriented leadership is directive, whereas leadership-oriented leadership is motivational.
For effective task-oriented leadership the first requirement is that you have a good plan with clearly identified tasks and outcomes. You must provide the team with "SMART" tasks and objectives. SMART objectives are Specific, Measurable, Assignable, Reasonable, and Time-bound. This means that assignments must be well bound with requirements and desired outcomes. Simply assigning someone the task to design a graphical user interface is not a SMART objective. Designing a user interface for a specific app, for a specific audience, using a specific organizational or industry standard, by a certain date is a SMART objective.
For good relationship-oriented leadership there must be a cooperative relationship between the team members and the leader, rather than an antagonistic one. The team members must trust and respect the leader and have confidence that the leader can get the team where it needs to go. This situation can be developed by the leader showing interest in the followers as people, not just employees. The leader must also listen to the team members and trust them to develop good work plans and execute in a coordinated fashion.
How can you tell which leadership style you favor?
Indicators that you are a task-oriented leader:
- You discourage personal conversation during work hours.
- You rigorously stick to agendas during meetings.
- You establish clear goals for your team members.
- You insist that team members follow correct procedure.
- You are a stickler about staying on schedule.
- You continually try to improve productivity and cut cost for your organization.
- You take time to get to know your team members personally during work hours.
- You encourage team members to take time off to take care of personal issues.
- You participate in conflict resolution among your team members.
- You encourage team members to resolve the issues without your participation.
- You seek team member input when making decisions.
- You take time to recognize a job well done.
Being aware of both the task-oriented and relationship-oriented approaches gives a good project manager two things. The first is the ability to shape a personal professional development plan to achieve a balanced skill set. The second is an awareness of when to apply each of the two approaches with teams of different personalities and in diverse project environments. Clearly leadership and management are two sides of the same coin. This coin is the project manager's currency for planning and executing projects, and for motivating and supporting teams.
Please take a moment to leave your thoughts in the comment feedback form below. Which type of leader are you? Do you think this is a useful distinction? How can you get better at task-oriented or relationship-oriented management? 7stepPM readers want to know!
After you have spent 15 minutes reading this blog and participating in the discussion forum in the comments area below, don’t forget to fill out the Pennies for PDUs form to get your certificate of PDU credit.
After you have spent 15 minutes reading this blog and participating in the discussion forum in the comments area below, don’t forget to fill out the Pennies for PDUs form to get your certificate of PDU credit.
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