What is the biggest difference between leadership and management? It’s a common misconception that these two terms mean the same thing, but they are vastly different when you look at the implications of a leader vs a manager.

• According to techtarget.com, leadership is defined as ‘the ability of an individual or group of individuals to influence and guide followers or other members of an organisation’.
• Management is defined as ‘the coordination and administration of tasks to achieve a goal. Management can also refer to the seniority structure of staff members within an organization.’

Both have similarities when it comes to guiding others to complete goals, however ‘leaders’ dedicate their roles to influencing rather than instructing. Gallup stated that “leadership style of individual managers account for up to 70% in difference in employee motivation and productivity”, so with the Great Resignation lingering in 2022, why haven’t more businesses adopted this leadership approach.

Lucid Connect want to outline the benefits of Leadership and what it could mean for your future business if you carry on with old school management techniques.

One key factor to point out is how leaders and how managers execute the decision making process. According to haillo.com, managers tend to look for rationale and control, whereas leaders look for opportunities for improvement on an organisational level. In other words, managers look at the ‘when and how’ and leaders look at the ‘what and why’. Leaders more often that not tend to allow employees to have more of a voice when it comes to business decisions and they know better than anyone else that without an engaged workforce, organisations will crumble. Interestingly, back in 2019 “only 25% of employees felt they were freely able to express themselves in the workplace” and back in autumn of 2021, the BBC published an article stating that people still feel penalised at work from expressing their emotions.

Come on people, we can do better than this!!!

Leaders tend to respond in a more empathetic way, especially in the decision making process, and this can make a small decision, considering employees feelings, go a long way in their eyes because any changes will empower the people. Leaders tend to make positive and impactful changes and are involved in the process to make these changes happen. More often than not, management can promote change, but are unlikely to be aware of the changes when they are happening like leaders are because they are in the centre of that change, pushing it from the top and from the foundations of a business.

It is important to note that managers account for over 70% of employees’ engagement in the workplace and are held accountable for how successful and productive their teams are. Lucid are proud to state that we promote an open-door policy so two-way communication is pushed for both employees and the senior leadership team. If companies work in a more open and honest environment, it will inspire people to express their views and make the workplace a more productive and successful operation.

Do not forget that COVID-19 changed many ways businesses operate and how employees value their time. This makes it ever so important for leaders and managers to listen to their people because there has been an evident shift in power as demonstrated by the Great Resignation. According to Harvard Business Review “since the outbreak of the pandemic, 53% of employees report feeling more exhausted” and according to Statistica “73% of survey respondents believed they were more efficient when working from home”.

These stats should not be ignored!!

As business leaders it is ever so important that you listen to your people as the candidate led market is still upon us.

Did you know there are now more live vacancies than there are available candidates for the first time since records began, which demonstrates candidates have the upper hand – take note hiring managers!!

The team at Lucid Connect speak to hundreds of candidates on a daily basis and understand the importance of adapting to change as an employer. If your people are exhausted or looking for more flexible working conditions to suit their needs, now is the time to listen to them, because people won’t hesitate to go where their needs are listened to and where they feel valued. Continuing with outdated management techniques could damage your reputation and employee retention.

Leaders look to the future, but managers work in the now. Capitalising on future opportunities for your people and your business can overall prove a success and benefit both employer and employee.

In conclusion, it is clear that leadership type managers are the way forward due to their adaptable and empathetic techniques to guide others. Employees aren’t just looking for a pay-check at the end of the month anymore, they are looking for their voices to be heard, their contribution to be recognised and rewarded and their time to be flexible. As Jack Welch said “Before you are a leader, success is about growing yourself. When you become a leader, success is about growing others”.

Written by Lucid Connect