As a business leader, one of the questions that you might get asked multiple times is whether you’re a leader or manager.
For many, these two are the same and can be used interchangeably, but this is a fallacy. In fact, being a manager does not automatically make one a leader, no matter how it seems similar colloquially. There are a number of differences between the two – mostly concerning the business context and character of both – that you should be aware of so you can accurately determine what kind of business owner and team head you are.
In its most basic sense, the most significant difference between a manager and a leader is the way they motivate people to accomplish their tasks and work towards a common goal. This sets the tone for most of what they do, how they approach people in their team and business, how they react during crises, and the overall atmosphere of the employees and the company.
While there is nothing wrong with being a leader or being a manager (and not being what they aren’t), the knowledge of what you are like as a business owner and team head is still a significant fact to hold. It allows you to see how you genuinely handle the business and where else you can improve upon.
It also pays to know the difference between the two so when it comes to assigning team heads for the different projects that your business may have, you can assess who can work better with what task and with what sort of people they can work well with.
According to our friends at Healthy Business Builder here are the seven enormous differences between a leader and a manager that you should know:
- Leaders seek vision, managers focus on objectives
- Leaders initiate change, managers maintain stability
- Leaders take risk, managers minimize risk
- Leaders think long-term, managers work on short-term
- Leaders rest on learning, managers depend on existing skills
- Leaders build relationships, managers establish processes and systems
- Leaders have followers, managers have subordinates
Enjoy the infographic below.
Author
Paul Slezak
With over two decades of experience in the recruitment and human capital industry, Paul Slezak has established himself as a transformative force in the realm of leadership and career coaching, group facilitation, and talent acquisition. His unique perspective, drawn from his early career as a leader in global recruitment firms and his entrepreneurial success with his own start-up, has enabled him to make a significant impact on leaders, teams, and organizations across the world. Paul's passion for helping others achieve success and high performance is evident in his commitment to transforming leaders and their teams at local, national, and international levels. He specializes in promoting the importance of human-centered intelligence, focusing on soft skills such as authenticity, transparency, and trust to complement business-centered acumen and drive better workplace outcomes. As an impartial facilitator, Paul brings his expertise to team offsites and strategy days, ensuring alignment on goals, values, and culture while keeping participants on task. His engaging and energetic presence, coupled with his unique "entertraining" and "edutaining" delivery style, enables him to connect with audiences both large and intimate, sharing personal and professional anecdotes that inspire and energize.
