Owners of startups and small businesses frequently find themselves balancing numerous responsibilities and adopting various roles. Among these roles are managers and leaders, particularly during the initial stages of a business’s journey.
However, while these workplace functions may seem alike, they possess several key distinctions. Determining when to adopt a management style versus a leadership approach can be challenging, especially for those who are just beginning to navigate the complexities of running a business or a team.
Let’s delve deeper into the roles of management and leadership within the workplace. By the conclusion of this discussion, you should have a clearer understanding of when to employ each role effectively.
What is management?
Management refers to the act of supervising subordinates rather than followers. More specifically, the management role encompasses guiding and supervising groups of individuals to achieve well-defined, specific objectives.
In contrast to leadership, management focuses on fulfilling the broader goals established by leaders. Managers take on the day-to-day responsibilities of making those ambitions a reality.
Management typically emphasizes strategy and operational effectiveness. Depending on the individual or task at hand, managers may tweak various processes or systems to enhance productivity and reduce risk—something that is a primary concern for managers across all sectors.
What is leadership?
Conversely, leadership is about guiding followers instead of subordinates. Unlike management, leadership revolves around establishing high-level objectives and a vision for a team or organization to pursue. Leadership is more about charisma; while anyone can hold a managerial position, not everyone can embody the qualities of a true leader.
Leadership involves motivating individuals to excel and achieve seemingly unreachable goals. Therefore, leadership is less about the minutiae of daily tasks or concrete outcomes. Leaders articulate a vision and empower managers to figure out the implementation. They also often nurture strong connections with their followers.
Management vs. Leadership
As illustrated, management and leadership constitute two distinct types of work roles. Below, we will compare their differences side-by-side to enhance your understanding of their respective focuses:
Managers lead people.
The individuals they manage may not necessarily have to like them, although that is always a plus. In contrast, leaders guide followers who willingly choose to follow them. Effective leaders tend to cultivate followers who are eager to accompany them, often due to their charisma or compelling vision.
Managers are task-oriented.
They focus on achieving specific objectives, typically those set forth by leaders. Conversely, leaders are vision-oriented. They formulate overarching goals for the organization or team and then delegate responsibilities to managers or other members to bring those visions to life.
Managers are focused on risk management and operational efficiency.
Their success is often measured by how well they complete their tasks, making them more effective managers. Leaders, however, emphasize adaptation and innovation. They consistently seek new methods to inspire and lead rather than prioritize stability.
Managers primarily ask questions like “how” and “when.”
They emphasize the specifics related to their assigned tasks, while leaders focus on “what” and “why,” as they are responsible for defining the broader objectives or concepts for the organization.
Despite the obvious differences between managers and leaders, they also share several important traits, including:
They have a strong attention to detail.
Every leader must focus on details to develop innovative ideas and solutions. Similarly, managers require excellent attention to detail to execute their tasks effectively.
They possess strong communication skills, though leaders emphasize this even more.
Both roles leverage communication abilities to ensure that subordinates or followers understand their directives and responsibilities.
They have strong interpersonal skills.
To effectively manage or lead a team, an individual must understand how to interact with diverse personalities and foster collaboration.
They demonstrate strong problem-solving capabilities.
Managers need these skills to fulfill their goals and optimize project timelines. Likewise, leaders rely on problem-solving to generate ideas and innovations that motivate their followers.
They possess goal-setting abilities, although this is more crucial for leaders.
Managers should also know how to establish goals to break down tasks into manageable, achievable components.
When to Manage Subordinates
There are specific scenarios where adopting a management approach is more suitable than a leadership one. Such instances include:
- When there’s a need to enhance productivity within your team, particularly as deadlines approach. Managers can elevate productivity by honing in on system details or processes and may improve efficiency by hiring additional personnel or modifying workflows.
- When training new team members. New hires require guidance in performing their roles effectively, which falls squarely within the domain of management.
- When essential tasks need to be assigned. Managers excel in delegation, as they are more focused on identifying the right person for each task rather than overarching goals.
- When there are complications with processes or systems. If an organization struggles to meet deadlines or operates ineffectively, a manager must intervene to rectify the issues swiftly.
When to Lead Followers
Conversely, there are times when leadership is preferable to management. Such occasions include:
- When the organization faces a crisis. In such instances, followers may require inspirational leadership to remain committed and navigate through the challenges.
- When establishing a company and onboarding initial team members. This phase is crucial for shaping the organization’s core values and cultivating the workplace culture that will influence future performance.
- When you must make tough choices, such as reducing employee benefits like life insurance or 401(k) matching.
- When it’s necessary to define new organizational goals or objectives. After wrapping up one marketing initiative, you might conceptualize a new strategy starting with broad aspirations.
- When setting or modifying the organizational culture. The charisma and capabilities of leaders often shape company culture. A well-developed culture will attract more talent to your organization.
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In summary, both management and leadership play vital roles in the workplace. As a startup founder or team member, you may be called to embody both functions at different times. Remember to apply each role appropriately to maintain your team’s trust during crucial moments.
