Leader vs. Manager – The Value of a Situational StyleWritten by: Kiran Dambala, CM, PMP | July 1, 2019

The terms leader and manager often get usedinterchangeably. In reality, they reflect distinctlydifferent management styles. Leaders tend to be morefocused on developing and executing a strategic vision.They motivate those around them to embrace thatvision. In short, leaders often drive disruptive changewith the long-term goal of inspiring those around themto innovate improvements to the organization.Comparatively, managers tend to be more focused at atactical level. Managers plan, organize, direct andcontrol repeatable processes. Their goal is stability.They typically only drive change when the metrics theymanage indicate a need for improvement.

Which of these styles is best? The answer is: it depends. One of the best explanations I’veheard was provided by a CEO in a discussion of the best management style for program

managers in the electronics manufacturing services (EMS) industry. He said he likedprogram managers to be leaders when they were in charge of an account that was largeenough to require dedicated production lines. If the account shared a line with programsmanaged by other managers, he preferred a managerial or tactical focus. His reasoningwas that leaders sharing a line often developed conflicts related to resource sharing,whereas managers were more likely to work together. Conversely, having a leader on alarge account ensured that a strategic vision for growth was present and the leader wouldbe a strong champion for the account to identify and obtain the required resources. Onereason the terms leader and manager are often used interchangeably is because astuteexecutives understand the value of varying management style by situation. This isparticularly true early in one's management career, where the position routinely requires amanager focus rather than a leader. Determining which style is most appropriate (manageror leader) is one of the most difficult decisions an up-and-coming professional will make. What factors determine your situational style? Here are few questions to consider:

Are you new to the organization?Are you in charge of a unique function or project?Are you leading a team or are you a member of a team?

New to the Organization It is not unusual for employees who are juststarting their management careers to want to make a big splash by identifying everythingthat is wrong with a current process and offering solutions to fix it. The problem with thisapproach is that without relevant experience and an understanding of the business reasonsfor the process, it can be easy to criticize a process that isn’t broken. In this situation, it isbetter to manage than to lead. Evaluate process metrics against organizational objectives.Process metrics can be analyzed once the experience to understand the issues has can beenacquired. Are organizational objectives being achieved? If so, continue to manage theprocess. If not, determine what changes could improve the process, how much the changes

would cost in time and resources, and present the findings to superiors. In Chargeof a Unique Function or Project When your role involves managing afunction or a project that is unique to the organization, there is often an opportunity to be aleader. For example, early in my career I was put in charge of marketing in a manufacturingservices company that didn’t have a formal marketing team. There was no process in placeto manage, so I used my leadership skills. I researched the issues, put together thecompany’s first integrated marketing plan and successfully sold the concept to thecompany’s president. Once the plan was launched, I tracked performance metrics andcontinued to fine-tune and improve the process. I developed a reputation for being a leaderin driving successful marketing efforts, which paved the way for a successful 20-year

career. In this scenario, starting the assignment as a leader made sense. Leading aTeam or a Team Member If you are selected to lead a team, tapping thevisionary and motivational aspects of leadership can be critical to the team’s success. Keepin mind that great leaders don’t dictate their vision; instead, they inspire others to buildupon it. In contrast, if you are a member of a team, focusing on tactics can be the best way

to engage with the team. If there is a vacuum in leadership relative to achieving the definedgoal, there may be opportunities to step up and lead. However, as with the “new to theorganization” scenario, focus on understanding the playing field and objectives beforeassuming a leadership position. Shifting between manager and leader styles requiresjudgment and expertise. Carefully consider which characteristics are best for each situationbefore deciding on the situational style.

About the Author

Kiran Dambala, CM, PMP

Kiran Dambala was the 2014 Chairman of the Board for the NMA…TheLeadership Organization

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