Manager vs Leader

Manager vs. Leader

Everyone who manages a team of people seems to be referred to as a Leader these days. And there is a corresponding stigma attached to the term Manager as if Managers are people who do not know how to lead. Leadership is seen as the ultimate goal in people management. Any yet the distinction between these two terms is unclear. Can you be both? And are both equally valid?

What is a Manager?

I like to think of a Manager as someone who's prime focus is the individuals on their team. A really exceptional Manager will treat everyone differently, taking in to account their personality, preferred learning style, level of experience and particular responsibilities. Whilst they will always be fair in their dealings with everyone in their team, they will adapt roles and responsibilities to the available talent. Instead of trying to squeeze a round peg in to a square hole they will move the pieces around so they can create a round-hole opportunity for a round peg.

They are very insightful and notice the strengths as well as the weaknesses of their people. Then they look for ways to really leverage those strengths for the benefit of the individual, the team and the organisation as a whole. Where they are given the autonomy to make these kinds of decisions, they can be hugely effective and a valuable asset for their company. Whilst a less able Manager might complain about the low quality of their people or the difficulty in finding the right people, an exceptional Manager will embrace the challenge of solving the problem by making the most of what they have.

Of course, they may find that some people cannot fit in to a particular environment. But even then, they will help that individual understand what kind of environment would suit them and support them in finding such a place. 

What is a Leader?

A Leader may or may not manage people directly. But even if they do not have direct reports or day to day people management responsibilities, their actions dramatically affect the people in the organisation. What Leaders do is affect the climate of the team and the organisation. Rather than dealing with individuals they see the team as a whole body. They know that their actions will affect the environment within which the team works. If they are effective they will create an environment where people feel empowered, secure, trusted and valued. People will understand the long term vision and feel the company invests in their long term development. A Leader may be hands on, pulling up their sleeves when necessary, but the majority of the time their focus is on creating a long term strategy which brings out the best in their people.

Can you be both?

Yes! (I was going to leave it there but then I thought you might appreciate a little more information!) 

A really exceptional Leader-Manager will be able to flex their style depending on the needs of the organisation and the people at any particular time. There is a time to get your hands dirty e.g. when you are short-staffed, when there is a tight deadline that cannot be reached without your help, when urgent action must be taken and the longer term strategy will follow, when you need to demonstrate to your team that you are listening, that you understand and that you are capable of "doing".

You may need to do more Management when you first take over a team. A bit of "getting to know you", listening, understanding the strengths and weaknesses of the people and building rapport may be necessary at first. After that you may want to juggle the pieces a bit, making sure you put the right people in the right jobs, changing responsibilties so that you make the most of the people you have.

And then you may feel it is time to Lead. You may start to scope out the vision and encourage participation, discussion and debate. You may focus more on the long term development of your people (coaching) and on getting them to bond better as a team. And you may step back from the day to day for longer stretches of time, creating an atmostphere where people can make mistakes and enabling your people to learn by doing for themselves and learning from each other. 

Just different

Managing and Leading, according to this definition, can be two sides of the same coin. You may decide you are a Manager at heart and excel with this individual approach. You may feel more suited to Leadership, knowing that your strength is in creating climates. Or you may challenge yourself and embrace both, so you are able to adapt at will to the different circumstances you are likely to experience.

(Thank you to Hay Group for some of the terminology and Harvard Business Review for some of the concepts in this month's newsletter)