Are You a Leader or a Manager? Part 2
Communication is a very important aspect in leadership as well as management.
However, how a person goes about communicating with their team can be handled very differently based on what the focus is on. Since leaders are more focused on the people that are on the team, they will see if there are any outside elements that are keeping an individual from performing their best. They will talk with the person to see if they have any ideas as to how a goal can be achieved and what steps need to be taken to do so. In the end, a leader wants to ensure that every team member is motivated and on-board with the project at hand.
A manager is more focused on getting the task completed and will talk with individuals to see what need to be done in order to meet the goal. Managers are more worried about getting tasks completed, and they will make necessary changes in order to keep productivity up. A manager knows when to switch roles for people and distribute tasks so that the entire team does not get weighed down if one person is not pulling their weight.
Creating the proper motivation within individuals can make working with a group much more productive and enjoyable. Leaders are always looking for ways to motivate their team and will create new incentives that help keep the team motivated. These may range from little competitions to giving out rewards to those that meet certain goals. Leaders know what the biggest element in keeping a team going is to ensure that everyone is motivated and that they want to see things through until the end. If the group’s morale is low, there is no chance that the goals will be met on time because there is no motivation from anyone on the team.
Managers will use looming deadlines as motivation for team members. They understand that things need to be done at a certain time and that failure will not be accepted. While managers may not take the time to see if overall morale is high, they will ensure that everyone is aware of their own tasks and what is expected of them. Teams led by managers are motivated by the fact that they know what they need to do and that others are counting on them to accomplish what has been given out to them. This type of motivation keeps the team focused and keeps them from getting distracted by other things that are going on around them.
How well do you communicate with your team? Please chime in with your thoughts and suggestions.