What is the difference between a manager and a leader?
This is a challenging question with a thousand possible answers that business executives and educators continue to struggle with every day.
Not only are the differences difficult to distinguish, but the quandary is exacerbated by the overlap between the two. The ideal manager is also a leader, and a leader is often also called upon to serve in a managerial role.
Today’s business environment requires both skillsets more than ever. Business moves faster, the challenges are international in scope, emerging technology, and communications media demand round-the-clock attention, and the pressure is intense. It takes more than accountability measures to bring out the best in employees.
One meaningful way to compare leadership to management is to see the difference in focus. A leader leads people, while a manager manages work. The former is people-oriented, the latter is task-oriented.
The manager focuses on day-to-day work. He concentrates on the near-term. He works through the people assigned to him to accomplish the tasks at hand.
Because of this shorter-term, task orientation in which managers assign resources within time, cost, and other restraints and assure that defined work standards are met, certain functions are central to management.
Planning and budgeting ensure the effective direction of resources. They take the long-term direction of leadership and break it down for implementation within a specified time period.
Organizing, controlling, and coordinating are management aspects that relate to ongoing activity following the initial planning and budgeting stages. Scheduling and time management add the element of “when” to these managerial roles.
Problem resolution and decision making also continue on an ongoing basis. These contribute the flexibility to address challenges as they appear and correct course as needed.
Leadership develops a bigger-picture vision of the world. It functions at a much higher level than management.
The first responsibility of the leader is visioning. The leader is charged with determining the organization’s direction. Then she inspires others to achieve at their highest levels in support of this vision. The skills of the leader are interpersonal. They include motivating, persuading, and inspiring others to enlist in the cause. The leader also helps employees grow in their responsibilities and share their talents more effectively. These roles include counseling, coaching, and mentoring.
Each employee can contribute their own leadership attributes to the organization by adding their own value in these six ways:
You can be a leader regardless of your current role in your organization. Giving the best you have to offer and helping your team reach greater heights is worth the effort and will add meaning and fulfillment to your career.
