What are the Differences between Project Management and Project Leadership?

Management is said to be the discipline that specializes in maintaining the status quo, conforming to standards and organizing, and directing individuals around the boundaries (time, money, quality criteria, etc.) that have been set to achieve the task.

If you are a good manager it means that you are good at producing a set of products and services in a predictable way, day after day, on budget, and to consistent quality. It is a discipline, which requires you to be rational and logical and make use of certain skills and methods.

Leadership, on the other hand, is concerned with setting goals, making improvements to existing ways of working, and motivating and leading the team to reach this new direction.

It is characterized by certain behaviors such as sharing an inspiring vision, producing useful change, leading by example, empowering others, and creating the most conducive environment for team success.

Leadership is not about the specific skills you possess but about how you approach an assignment and how you relate to others.

Managers Rely on Authority; Leaders on Influence

One of the main differences between management and leadership is the way in which the two disciplines motivate people and teams to achieve objectives.

Managers rely on their authority to get work done. They allocate tasks to team members based on what needs to get done and expect them to carry out their job, by and large, because they receive a salary for it.

Leaders, on the other hand, influence, inspire, and appeal to people at an individual level. They strive to get the best out of people by aligning each person’s individual objectives to those of the project and organization.

As a project manager, you must make use of both disciplines, but as you grow and develop in your career you will likely come to rely on project leadership over and above project management.

Can Project Managers Learn to Lead?

Many project managers come from a technical background and have a rational, logical, and analytical way of thinking. It means that they are good at analyzing facts, calculating duration, coordinating activities, and making rational decisions. They are task-focused and concerned with how to get things done. They see their primary role as delivering what the customer has asked for within the agreed parameters of time, cost, and quality.

Moreover, project managers are less concerned about why their customers need the product and in which ways it affects their business and the people who develop it and use it. Their strength is in executing and following someone else’s vision and specification – rather than helping to define it.

There is nothing wrong with being logical and task-oriented. As project managers, we need those skills. Especially for planning and when estimating a large project. The issue arises when this is the only style in the toolbox, which is then being used to also manage people and communicate with customers.

Building high performing teams, great customer relationships, and ensuring that the project actually delivers what the customer needs cannot be achieved solely through logic. It requires creativity, empathy, risk-taking, vision, and most importantly the ability to connect with people on a very personal level.

Leadership can be learned, but it requires conscious effort and a desire to collaborate with clients and team members in a deeper and more responsible way.

To find out more, have a look at my book The Power of Project Leadership. You may also find our courses and retreats interesting, which you can view at The Project Leadership Institute.