Until Next Time …

Throughout this entire journey of starting my graduate degree in Strategic Communications at Troy University, I have learned more than I ever could have imagined about myself and the importance of communication throughout life in general.  We all know that strong communicators are usually the best leaders, which brings me to my favorite topic of the semester, managers vs. leaders. 

What comes to mind when I say “leader?” Maybe you think of managers, supervisors, or administrators when hearing leadership.  But I am talking about a different kind of leader.  The word “manager” and “leader” are not synonymous!  Anyone that has the ability to multi-task and organize a group of people can be a leader.  

In this section I learned the difference between the characteristics of a manager and how they differ from those of a leader. I have listed them below… 

Characteristics of a strong leader:

• Honesty & Integrity: are crucial to get your people to believe you and buy in to the journey you are taking them on
• Vision: know where you are, where you want to go and enroll your team in charting a path for the future
• Inspiration: inspire your team to be all they can by making sure they understand their role in the bigger picture
• Ability to Challenge: do not be afraid to challenge the status quo, do things differently and have the courage to think outside the box
• Communication Skills: keep your team informed of the journey, where you are, where you are heading and share any roadblocks you may encounter along the way

Traits shared by strong managers:

• Being Able to Execute a Vision: take a strategic vision and break it down into a roadmap to be followed by the team
• Ability to Direct: day-to-day work efforts, review resources needed and anticipate needs along the way
• Process Management: establish work rules, processes, standards and operating procedures
• People Focused: look after your people, their needs, listen to them and involve them

I have taken the characteristics of a leader and applied them to my career, and I have a grown so much with my team. We all understand the importance of being leaders instead of simply managing only to produce. I encourage everyone to evaluate their current communicative role and apply not only these characteristics, but the other tips and topics covered throughout this entire blog! You will see how making simple changes in your communications style can benefit your work life and career! 

I hope that you all enjoyed my blog this term and that it helped enhance your communication skills in some sort of way! Until next time all… Peace & blessings to you all, Myra.