3 Characteristics that Separate Leaders from Managers

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A manager and a leader have two very different yet critical roles for the success of every business. It is extremely rare to find an individual who can serve both roles.

It may seem intuitive to know which role you’re in, but sometimes a manager will find himself miserable in a position because he is a leader, and a leader doing a manager’s job is like trying to fit a round peg into a square hole.

Knowing whether you are a leader or a manager helps you fit into the organizational structure of your company, and benefits both you and the company.

Here are three primary differences between and manager and a leader:

Manager: You’ve been told you’re the “brains of the business.”

Leader: You’ve been told you “inspire action” with your ideas.

Manager: You set exciting goals, i.e., how many green widgets will be produced and sold this week.

Leader: You respectfully question exciting goals, i.e., is the sale of green widgets in line with our company’s core values?

Manager: You major in the “how” and “when,” establishing systems, operating procedures and incentive programs.

Leader: You major in the “what” and “why,” establishing the mission statement, long-term vision, and the direction of the company.

People ask the difference between a leader and a boss. The leader leads and the boss drives. ~ Theodore Roosevelt

While it’s true that some managers inspire and some leaders can create great systems, these are not their primary strengths.

Have you ever left a position because you were managing instead of leading, or vice versa?

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