Are you a leader or a manager? You might think there is no difference between the two; however, several traits make a project leader different from a project manager. Today, companies have divided their activities into different projects, for which they hire a project management team led by a manager. Company policies, size, and management highlight the difference between project managers and project leaders. 
Role and Responsibilities of a Project Manager
A manager is a professional responsible for project management, meeting deadlines, and organizing the team. A project manager is responsible for the fulfillment of the following duties:
- Implementation of the product strategy, product improvement, and cost management
- Scheduling the projects and setting up the deadlines
- Track project deliveries and keep the stakeholders updated
- Overseeing the project budget
- Documentation and staff management
- Resolving issues of the team
- Conducting quality assurance tests
- Identifying potential risks and preparing a mitigation plan
Role and Responsibilities of a Project Leader
A leader is a professional who leads, motivates, and builds a healthy relationship with team members. He is responsible for maintaining a productive work environment to boost the team’s productivity. The responsibilities of a project leader are given below:
- Attending meetings
- Keeping track of the team’s progress and preparing a progress report
- Keeping the team motivated and focused
- Product testing
- Team briefing and communication
- Resolving conflicts and barriers in the project completion
- Provide emotional support to team members
- Maintain a positive work environment
A project leader can also become a project manager by regularly dealing with technical tasks and motivating the team to perform best. On the other end, the manager cannot become a leader. Although their tasks are the same, i.e., to manage the project, their roles differ.
Here are the main traits of a project manager that make him different from a project leader.
Meeting Deadlines
The project manager follows the approach of deadline meetings; if there is a due date, it must be completed on time. The project manager focuses on the fact that everyone is here to do their job, so they must do it properly.
Tactical Approach
The manager assesses the project budget, tracks schedules and deadlines, maintains documentation, manages Human Resources (HR) or staff-related issues, and keeps his team organized.
Progress Reporting
The professional is responsible for providing updates on the project deliveries, progress, and bottlenecks in completing the project.
Has Less Freedom
Managers do not have too much freedom, so they cannot focus on people’s needs or care for them. Their only job is to manage the project efficiently.
Here are some traits of the leader that make them different from a manager.
Leads People
A project leader provides essential information to his people. He is always there to help people in case of any problems and acts as a guide for his team.
Focus on Project Outcomes
A leader is focused on the project outcomes rather than the project completion. They are more interested in knowing how a project affects people, why it affects people and possible solutions. They ensure the project’s perfect delivery and take care of the details that improve it.
Followed by A Vision
The leader has a vision and works with people to achieve it. Leaders motivate people, give them ideas and hints, listen to them, and fulfill their needs. They also pay greater attention to their employees‘ feelings and try to understand them.
He ensures a productive and educational work environment so that his people can maximize their productivity and dedication. They possess outstanding leadership skills.
Has More Freedom
A leader has more freedom than a manager; they can give orders to people and guide them. He is not limited to project management and completion; he leads people and the project.
Add Value
A leader adds value to his or her team by encouraging teamwork. The professional appreciates every team member’s contribution to the project and makes them feel valued and worthy. This keeps the team members motivated and satisfied with their work.
Which Role is Best?
A project manager or project leader has roles and responsibilities and fulfills them according to their predefined traits. Sometimes, managing a project or people becomes difficult, but both positions are related to aspects of leadership. Leadership is an essential element of project management, and both a manager and a leader must possess leadership skills for the project to be completed efficiently. Whether you are a project manager or a project leader, enhance productivity.
About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud platform where their QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools are hosted in an efficient SSO environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.