Management Skills vs. Leadership Skills: What’s the Difference?

Think the terms “leader” and “manager” are synonyms? Well, that’s not quite true.

These two words are often used interchangeably in the business world, but there are actually quite a few differences between management skills vs leadership skills.

So, uhhh… what exactly is this mysterious difference? We’re breaking it all down for you right here.

Compare and contrast: How leaders differ from managers

To make thing extra confusing, it’s true that the most effective leaders also possess many of the same skills that make a successful manager — and vice versa. Those lines do get almost frustratingly blurry.

If that’s the case, what makes for a great leader — as opposed to a great manager?

Sarah Finch, a leadership development facilitator, coach, and professional speaker, sums it up perfectly when she says, “People follow leaders because they want to. They follow managers because they are told to.”

Through their behavior and interactions, good leaders inspire people to follow them and live up to the example they’re setting. In contrast, managers are placed in positions of power on the organizational chart — meaning employees feel the need to listen to them simply because they’re outranked.

“A manager holds a position of authority and is responsible for the accomplishment of company goals for a specific team within that company,” explains Rob Braiman, Founder and CEO of Cogent Analytics, “A leader, on the other hand, only requires that people are willing to follow.”

Does this mean that a manager can’t also be an effective leader? Absolutely not — there’s plenty of overlap. But, to add some further clarity, let’s touch on some of the necessary skills of managers and compare those to some must-have leadership skills.

What makes a good manager? 5 essential skills

Traditionally, managers are responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of their teams. With that in mind, here are five skills that help them do their jobs well.

1. Organization

The best managers are highly organized. They’re able to establish and then maintain company processes, monitor progress, organize priorities, and generally keep their teams on track in achieving certain milestones.

That’s tough to do successfully when they’re scatterbrained. So, it’s important that managers are skilled at keeping things in order.

2. Attention to detail

Similarly to the points mentioned above, managers need to be acutely in tune with what’s happening on their teams.

Whether that’s spotting when things could potentially go over budget or vetting other people’s work, keen attention to detail will help a manager (and his or her team!) to succeed — with as few headaches and hurdles as possible.

3. Communication

There’s no way around it: Communication is an unavoidable skill for managers. They must be able to provide necessary feedback, clear up confusion, offer direction, collaborate with other company managers, and even resolve conflicts.

The better communicator a manager is, the easier time he or she will have overseeing and steering the direction of the entire team.

4. Time Management

When you consider that managers are responsible for the daily forward motion of their departments, it becomes obvious that they need to be exceptionally skilled time managers. They need to be able to get things done and set appropriate priorities for their teams.

“Organizations are built on the backs of great managers. Managers get things done — ahead of time and under budget — time and time again,” says Wayne Strickland, President of Global Distribution Strategy at Hallmark Cards, “Great managers can absorb a tremendous amount of work, navigate changes in schedules and the work environment, and still hit their goals.”

5. Delegation

While managers need to be able to get things accomplished on their own, they should also be able to effectively assign work to others — and then trust them to get it done correctly.

Any employee will be quick to tell you that there’s nothing worse than a micromanager. So, the most effective managers know how to be successful and supportive delegators.

What makes a good leader? 5 essential skills

Those above five characteristics sound like the makings of a great manager, right? And, as we’ve mentioned a few times, ideally leaders will also possess those skills.

But, in addition to the above, what do leaders need to be truly amazing at inspiring their teams? Here are five key qualities.

For the rest of the article visit www.goskills.com.