Manager or Leader: Which Are You?
There has always been an on-going debate on the differences between a
leader and a manager. Many have asserted that leaders have followers,
while managers have subordinates. Reading numerous articles on
management and leadership styles had revealed to me several core
differences between the two which would have probably resulted in such a
portrayal.That said, I’ve come to believe that such differences exist on a
continuum, where on one extreme you can be a great manager and on the
other extreme, you can be considered a true blue leader.Most of us will fall somewhere in the middle as both manager and leader,
depending on the circumstances we face. So how can you tell if you are
manager material or born to lead? Here are 8 core differences that can
help you decide.
1. Visionary Vs. Task-Oriented
Leaders are more concerned about the direction or the overall
strategy of the organization and then giving their followers the freedom
to plan the details and meet goals and objectives. Managers, on the
other hand, handle immediate tasks or hit short-term goals.
It may be appropriate to say that leaders think big while managers
are more task-oriented. Having a vision for the organization is of
utmost importance to leaders while managers dwell on how to execute said
vision.
2. Transformational Vs. Transactional
Managers adopt a solely transactional approach to subordinates. This
means that managers seek for their services in exchange for a paycheck.
This is not the same for leaders, who actually go beyond such
transactional needs to satisfy higher levels of needs for their
followers, such as the need to find meaning in their work.
This appeals to followers, being transformational in the sense that
these employees are not working for themselves; they are working for the
team or the organization that goes beyond self-interest.
3. Elected Vs. Hired
Titles and authority are granted to managers so that they have the
necessary power to make people do as they say. Leaders are, however,
elected by the people who choose to follow them rather than being made
or paid to do so. Respect is not guaranteed for managers but it is
already earned by leaders.
With that, leaders are thus more influential because they have
followers who do what they say out of respect. Managers get their
subordinates to follow their orders out of authority. Naturally,
employees will be happier doing what the leaders want rather than the
managers say.
4. Servant Vs. Self-serving
A leader serves his or her followers rather than use them to serve
him or her. In other words, leaders fight for their followers and put
the group’s needs beyond their own. Managers (well, some of them) put
blame on their subordinates when things go wrong and take credit when
things are right.
After all, a manager’s role is to manage subordinates in order to
attain certain managerial objectives. This is not the case for leaders
because they value their followers and seek to serve the entire group.
Hit the brakes! Which are you in the Four Differences above? Do you know if you are you Leader or Manager Material yet?
5. Character-Building Vs. Skill-Building
Since managers are task-oriented and aim to hit short-term goals,
their philosophy of training for their subordinates tends to be
skill-based. If a certain skill or knowledge is required to complete a
task, then a manager will simply acquire a worker with the required
skills to perform the job.
Leaders are not just looking into what is in front of them; they seek
out the potential – what they can do in the future rather than what
they can already do now – in people. Therefore, their training
philosophy emphasizes on character-building.
6. Trust Vs. Control
Leaders think ahead, then set directions for the group. They place
their trust on their followers to make whatever plans necessary to move
forward towards that direction. The element of trust associated with
leaders empowers followers to freely make their decisions on day-to-day
matters.Managers, on the other hand, think only on how to get the tasks done
in the most efficient manner, so there is a need for them to set the
instructions as detailed as possible for the subordinates to adhere to.
They seek control over subordinates to ensure optimal results.
7. Seeking Possibilities Vs. Avoiding Risks
Working within a scope of tasks and goals can bring rigidity to
managers because there is little flexibility involved. This systematic
approach to management in order to complete assigned tasks can render
managers averse to risks.
On the contrary, leaders do not confine themselves to short-term
goals or “firefighting”. Hence they are open to new ideas, and will seek
possibilities for the team and the organization as a whole. Instead of
using old and tested methods like managers do, leaders are always
looking for new ways of doing things.
8. Growth Vs. Sustenance
Leaders, with their visionary approach, tend to lay their eyes on
growth rather than sustenance for the organization and the people.
Managers are more interested in getting their job done, so there is
little or no emphasis on growth.
As a result, it’s the leaders who are the ones to initiate changes;
good managers only adapt to changes. This also applies to people
management, where leaders groom followers for the long-term while
managers inadvertently constrain subordinates to be trained with only
what is necessary for the job.
Conclusion
Although this article seems to cast managers in a bad light and
glorify the role of a leader, my personal opinion is that a leader needs
to be a good manager to be effective as well. After all, what are
dreams and visions without proper planning and, more importantly,
action.
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