How do you distinguish between influencing and manipulating your team? How can you make sure you are influencing rather than manipulating them?

The differences between influence and manipulation include the:

• reason behind the intention to persuade another person
• truthfulness and accuracy of provided information
• transparency of the process
• benefit, affect, or impact on the person.

You shouldn't be doing either. 

Manipulation is, in general, wrong, so you shouldn't be doing it all.  Influencing is when you try to get people over whom you have no control to behave in a certain way.   One example is customers: indeed, marketing is simply influencing potential customers.

However, you do have control over your team, and if you are influencing them then you are probably a bad manager.  If you want your team to do something, or behave in a particular way, then tell them, openly and clearly.  Give them the tools they need, and clear any obstacles from their path. 

Influence: the power to change or affect someone or something : the power to cause changes without directly forcing them to happen : a person or thing that affects someone or something in an important way.

Manipulation: exerting shrewd or devious influence especially for one's own advantage; "his manipulation of his friends was scandalous"

"A person who is manipulative usually has bad intentions or doesn't care if the other person gets harmed. Manipulation suggests that you don't care about the consequences that betide the other person. Con-men are manipulative. They will craftily convince someone to part with their valuables or be an accessory to a crime. The conman knows full well that he or she plans to walk away at some point, leaving the victim to deal with the fallout."

One has to be an inspiration in order for the employees or anyone in general to look up to you.

In literal sense both these are negative words. It is motivation and nurturing of original thoughts among team members, which gives long term results. And there is no comparison between these two concepts.  However, the difference can be observed by attitude of the team itself.  

I fully agree with the answers been added by EXPERTS.................THANKS.

By using clear communication method and by setting clear goals. However, your team should reflect your leadership, so if you were successful in influencing them team members should achieve the best outcomes and they should get developed.Manipulation cannot be kept for long term !