Becoming a Better Boss Secret 13: Leader or Manager?
Leaders and managers are suffering from an identity crisis – are they leaders or managers? Is there a difference? In fact, there is. Consider these definitions.
Leadership: The ability to influence, motivate, and direct others to obtain desired objectives.
Management: Planning, organizing, leading, and controlling the people working in an organization and the ongoing set of tasks and activities they perform.
Leaders and managers do have different skills sets. By definition we can conclude that leadership focuses on people and managers focus on tasks. If only it were that simple.
In reality we know that the two definitions cross. Seldom do we find a person who is a pure leader – or a pure manager in the true sense of the definition. This is a good thing as leaders who cannot manage – and managers who cannot lead, can be disastrous. An organization needs both great leadership and great management to succeed.
Best bosses understand the difference between leadership and management and can employ both skills sets as needed.
Think about it. Leaders are known for having great vision (big picture thinking), an ability to see the future of their organization. If they do not understand the management side of things, they very well may lose sight of what needs to be done to execute. Managers are known to organize work, to get things done in an organization, and to ensure compliance. If managers can only focus on what needs to be done right now, they may lose sight of purpose.
Look around and you will likely see examples of great leaders who have tremendous vision but cannot figure out how to turn the lights on in the building. We also see examples of great managers who get stuck in “management land” and become complacent and sometimes outright depressed.
Leaders and managers who are able to employ both skill sets become great bosses and are known to:
- Manage the operations of the organization at a higher level of success.
- Make better decisions.
- See the “big picture” more clearly.
- Sustain higher performance over time.
- Welcome and use feedback from all sources.
- Get results!
There are specific competencies for leaders and for managers.
Examining them will help you see the differences between the two. For example, leaders develop future direction by examining future trends – while managers develop the detailed plan to achieve the desired result. Leaders plan strategy while managers plan tactics.
For a complete list of competencies and more information, check out Becoming a Better Boss – Your Guidebook to 25 Fundamental Management Responsibilities which is now available at Amazon.com!