Are you a manager or a leader? Did you know that it’s possible to be one without the other? It is! Whether you are in a position of management or not, you can be a leader. But simply being a manager doesn’t necessarily make you a leader.
Of course, it’s possible to be both a manager (as a job title) and a leader. If you’re in a management role, that should be your goal. It’s important, however, to understand how traditional managers differ from leaders. Once you understand the differences between leadership and management, you can work to develop leadership qualities, which will help you become better in every area of life.
Valuing People
Management, in its traditional form, has been about keeping processes running smoothly. Managers assign tasks to employees and expect them to be done. Each employee is like a separate part of a machine. And if one employee leaves, their job can easily be replaced. In fact, many managers of the past have let their people know that they are all replaceable.
Leaders, however, regard people highly. They recognize that people are the lifeblood of business and critical to their success. They do not view people as replaceable and certainly do not want their people to feel like that’s how they’re seen. They want their people to feel valued. Leaders know that when people feel valued, they do better work.
Accepting Input
Traditional managers don’t accept input from their employees. After all, they earned their position in management for a reason, right? They should have all the answers and choose the team’s direction by themselves.
Leaders realize that this traditional view is flawed. Leaders are humble enough to recognize that they make mistakes and that they don’t always have the best ideas. They know the value of collaboration. They don’t feel threatened by team members who show promise, but instead, they believe that everyone can be better when they work together.
Sharing Responsibility and Authority
Managers used to be the only authority in the workplace. Since leaders realize that their people are valuable despite their job titles, they are willing to share their authority. Sometimes, that means delegating important responsibilities without the need to micromanage the details. Leaders trust their people. And although this act of trust involves some risk, they believe that investing in people is worth it.
So, now that you know some of the differences between managers and leaders, you can strive to be a better leader, even if your official title is “manager.” And if you aren’t technically in a leadership role, you can still strive to develop the qualities of an effective leader and lead where you are for now.
W Darrow Fiedler 