Leader vs. Manager
Is there a difference between a project leader and a project manager?
A project manager can be described as the person responsible for
directing and coordinating human and material resources, but this
definition tends to focus on the administrative aspects of project
work. However, the authors see a distinction between the style of
leaders and managers according to their primary focus. The respective
positions of leaders and managers on a number of issues are shown
listed in Table 2.[8][9][10]
It is a truism that leadership focuses on doing "the right things"
while managers focus on doing "the things right".
| Managers focus on
|
Leadership focuses
on
|
- Goals & objectives
- Telling how and when
- Shorter range
- Organization & structure
- Autocracy
- Restraining
- Maintaining
- Conforming
- Imitating
- Administrating
- Directing & Controlling
- Procedures
- Consistency
- Risk-avoidance
- Bottom line
|
- Vision
- Selling what and why
- Longer range
- People
- Democracy
- Enabling
- Developing
- Challenging
- Originating
- Innovating
- Inspiring trust
- Policy
- Flexibility
- Risk-opportunity
- Top line
|
| Good managers do the
things right
|
Good leadership does the
right thing
|
Table 2: Differences in Style [11]
Collectively, project leadership and project "managership" may be referred to as project "stewardship". To be a steward is to hold something in trust for another. Thus, project stewardship may be defined as a willingness to be accountable for the well-being of the project organization while placing service towards the goals of the project above self-interest. It entails holding accountability for your people without exacting harsh compliance from them. In the planning phases, "managership", as described, has its limitations. Leadership overcomes these limitations. In the producing phases, leadership per se also has its limitations, and "managership" is more appropriate.
8. Bennis, W., On Becoming a Leader, Addison Wesley, 1989.
9. McLean, J. W., & Weitzel, W., Leadership: Magic, Myth or Method?, AMACOM, 1991.
10. Covey, S. R., Principle-Centered Leadership, Summit Books, 1991.
11. Adapted from Warren Bennis On Becoming a Leader, Addison Wesley, 1989; J. W. McLean & William Weitzel Leadership: Magic, Myth or Method?, AMACOM, 1991; Stephen R. Covey Principle-Centered Leadership, Summit Books, 1991.
|
Definition of Project Leadership
