Management and Leadership

The Difference Between Management and Leadership

What is the difference between management and leadership? We want our executive teams to be great with both management and leadership. I probably made every mistake in the book as a manager.  However, I never wanted to do anything poorly. Therefore, I took it upon myself to read business books, get an MBA, and join peer groups to learn from others.

My distinction between the two is;

1) Management is the control of work or processes. A good manager puts procedures in place to drive the processes and then measures the outcomes.

2) Leadership motivates, coaches, and develops people to complete the processes or work efficiently. In addition, it involves the ability to create or improve job satisfaction. You can be a manager without being a leader.

How does one improve?

How does one improve their skills as a manager or a leader? I spent many years in management doing just that. I focused on how to be a better leader, hence the years of reading business books and studying leadership skills. Did I achieve my goal? To some, yes, and some will say no. You will not be a great leader to everyone. Remember, egos are a part of human nature, and some people will look for excuses for poor performance instead of accepting responsibility.

Develop your people as both managers and leaders.

You should develop your people as both managers and leaders. As a manager, I want the staff to understand their jobs. A good manager can articulate the expectations of the job. Then define tasks to complete the job, as well as the measurements that define success, KPIs. Go to https://www.eosworldwide.com and got the book Traction, a great business book for companies of any size. Part of management is to understand timing with any job function. We must plan the job, step-by-step, and help employees execute.

If work is incorrect or not completed timely, the manager must find out why and fix the problem. A good manager will look for better ways to get the job done and improve efficiency. Is there equipment to help the processes? We must evaluate the practicality of purchasing the equipment. Part of what made my business better was training. This involved an annual plan for training on procedures, management, and leadership.

The art of leadership is not natural for many.  A good leader must constantly teach, coach, and develop people, which includes training on delegation and listening skills. We must remind managers about coaching to help their staff get to the next level.

Training for Culture

In addition, training for culture is a component of good leadership. Both excellent internal and external customer service are critical. Therefore, I assist CEOs in creating a vision for employees. And, I help them have conversations about the employee’s part in that vision. Good leadership is finding a way to have employees work for the organization’s vision, not just for the pay or benefits. See ocgrowthadvisors.com for services or email noel@ocgrowthadvisors.com.