The terms Leadership and Management are often used together however they are not the same thing. There are great leaders and there are great managers but rarely do you find a person that is great at both. A leader is forward focused, about vision and goals, about where you want to go. A leader inspires others to want to follow along the path and contribute to the achievement of that vision. Management however is much more detail oriented and disciplined. A great manager can juggle many things at once and still keep projects on track. A manager will facilitate the attainment of the goals and\or vision of the leader. It is like the difference between an architect and a project manager. The architect has a clear vision of what the building should look like and knows exactly how it should be built but when it comes to actually building the structure a project manager is needed to ensure that the details of the vision are implemented. As an architect our job is not to do all the work but to have the overall blueprint of how it should look and to bring in the appropriate project managers and subject matter experts to facilitate the creation of that vision. Today’s architects must have strong leadership skills and also good management skills to facilitate the success of their projects.

Why does an architect need this skill?

The architect must be able to clearly define the vision—the “to be” state—so that each and every member of the team understands what is to be accomplished.

Common tasks involved in this skill?

A clearly defined vision includes the who, what, when, where, why, and how of the project.

Who needs this project completed? Who is responsible for this project?

What is the project? What is the end state? What will success look like?

When will the project be started? When should it be completed?

Where will the project be utilized?

Why is the project important?

How will the project be completed? How is the project funded? How does this project affect other projects?

What is their ownership in this skill?

The architect is responsible for working with the project sponsors and the management team to understand and document the project. Once the documentation is complete the architect is responsible for clearly communication the project and then monitoring the progress of the project.

Name an example of how an architect would use this in daily activities?

The architect must be able to envision the end state and also communicate the desired end state. If the architect envisions a people moving system without clearly articulating all of the requirements of the people moving system then the architect may end up with a horse and buggy when they really envisioned and needed a high speed rail.

Describe why an architect should be involved in this skill at a corporate level

The architect is uniquely qualified to understand the organizations strategic goals and then design, document, and articulate that vision into quantifiable actions. Without this ability the chances of the organizations priorities and goals being accomplished are minimal.

Primary push back and/or challenges for architects

The architect will face challenges on several fronts. The existing team may push back because they know how to build widget X because they have been doing it for years. The senior management team may push back because they do not have the time for an architect to define\gather all the requirements and then document the end state.

How would a stakeholder engage an architect for assistance utilizing this skill?

The stakeholder may have a vision for project X but not have the capacity or training to adequately design the solution. The architect would have the capability to design the solution and should have the institutional knowledge to understand how the project will fit within the rest of the corporate portfolio.

Organization Design and Implementation

Understand and articulate the various organizational designs and how they are implemented.

Resource Management

Understand and articulate …

Developing Leaders

Understand and articulate …

Can articulate the difference between leadership and management

Understand and articulate the primary difference between leadership and management.

Can describe their approach to leading or managing during the projects they documented

Understand when to lead and when to manage. Evaluate strategies for each.

Can describe a leadership or management book or class they have read or taken

Discuss a management book that the learner has read or a management class they have taken. Explain the principles contained within the book or class. How would the learner apply those principles to the project they’re currently working on?

Articles/Books –

Logan, Dale, King, John, and Fischer-Wright, Halee 2008 (copyright 2008). Tribal Leadership Leveraging Natural Groups to Build a Thriving Organization. New York, NY: HarperCollins

Brinckerhoff, Peter C. 2009 (copyright 2009). Mission-Based Management. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Northouse, Peter G. 2013 (copyright 2013). Leadership: Theory and Practice. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.

Blogs/Webcasts/News Sources –

What is the Difference Between Management and Leadership? Retrieved September 25, 2013, from http://guides.wsj.com/management/developing-a-leadership-style/what-is-the-difference-between-management-and-leadership/.

Leadership Retrieved September 25, 2013, from http://online.wsj.com/public/page/leadership.html?mg=reno64-wsj.

Leadership vs. Management Retrieved September 25, 2013, from http://changingminds.org/disciplines/leadership/articles/manager_leader.htm.

Management vs. Leadership Retrieved September 25, 2013, from http://www.leadership-toolbox.com/management-vs-leadership.html.

Training –

American Management Association http://www.amanet.org/

Project Management Institute http://www.pmi.org

Certifications –

Project Management Professional (PMP) http://www.pmi.org/en/Certification/Project-Management-Professional-PMP.aspx

Dan Fain
Security & Identity Architect – Microsoft

Driven executive specializing in applying proven sales, relationship management and professional services background to deliver exceptional technical leadership in both domestic and international environments. 20-year management background with strong experience directing staff members from Australia, Asia, Europe and the Middle East. Effectively apply IT resources to achieve organizational goals while improving efficiency and profitability. Strong technical background includes MCITP, MCSE, IA/CND Level III DoD, CISSP, CITA-P, and CEH certifications and expertise in LAN, WAN and VPN technologies and information systems security.