Project management and planning are essential tools for corporate structure. Organizational structure cannot survive without it. Nobody wants to have a system that works in an unknown pattern. To ensure proper project execution companies tend to hire people that have solid management skills along with sound communication.
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Why Management Jobs are always in Demand?
Companies are always busy hiring such individuals that can look out for their projects. Positions such as project leaders and project managers are always in demand, as they are imperative for project development.
Technically speaking project management and project leadership are two different sets of responsibilities. Although, both these styles of management are essential for any organization. However, project leaders certainly have more dominance over project managers since they have different leadership styles and are involved with the top management in the decision-making process.
Difference between Project Managers and Project Leaders
Project leaders plan things, communicate with top management. Moreover, their role is more inclined towards generating business opportunities for the company. On the other hand, project managers are more motivated towards managing the whole team, meeting project deadlines, ensuring customer satisfaction and the efficiency of the operational process.
Corporate cultures have their own requirements, selecting the most appropriate individual for your company is a tedious task. The question arises of who you should hire if you are the CEO of a big company. A project leader or a project manager? What is the significant difference between them?
7 Major Differences between a Project Leader and a Project Manager
Role in the Organization: Project leaders are known to have a more detailed vision of projects, as they tend to plan things. However, project managers are more inclined towards the execution of the projects and maintain a professional communication channel with the lower hierarchy.
Responsibilities: When it comes to project execution, project leaders are more inclined towards dealing with organizational structure and policies. Whereas, project managers work on the ground to accomplish company objectives, more biased toward a project management approach.
Mode of Working: The main job of project managers is to plan the projects effectively, so there are no loopholes. Project leaders thus work on a more critical thinking approach that generates the possibility of novel revenue streams for the company, while project managers are answerable for executing project goals.
Relationship with the Top Management: In regards to the connection with the top management, project leaders are more involved in the strategic planning, while project managers discuss the operational process with the top management.
Relationships with the Working Staff: In the case of relationships with the working staff, project managers have an important role to play as compared to project leaders. Additionally, most of the operational staff comes under the umbrella of project manners.
Relationships with the Clients: Both the project managers and project leaders can establish communication channels with the clients. For project leaders, the communication channel is more associated with getting new businesses and negotiations. Whereas, matters related to customer demands, satisfaction, and time schedules of service delivery are coped with by project managers.
Status and Payscale: Technically speaking, project leaders tend to have a better pay scale and quality than project managers. However, no hard and fast rules regarding the salaries and rank of project managers and project leaders can be assigned. Anyone from a management background or study can be a project manager but not everyone is able to be a leader.
Skill Set Is Necessary
The corporate structure is becoming more and more competitive. Solid management skills are therefore required for maintaining business standards, customer relationships, and adding more value to the business profile of the company. The selection between project managers and project leaders is somewhat rater confusing, but one must go for the skill set. Generally speaking, if someone has good skills in management, he should opt for project management, while people good with intelligence are more suited towards project leadership.
Matthew is a Co-Founder at BusinessFinanceArticles.org. Matthew was a floor manager at a local restaurant in Wales. He lost his job after the pandemic and took initiative to make a team and start the project.
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