We’ve all seen hilariously inept managers in movies or on TV (The Office comes to mind). And if we’ve been truly unlucky, we’ve even run across one or two in our careers.
But of course not all managers are bad managers. And some are very talented and well-meaning people who are doing the best job they can in their circumstances.
Yet there are some fundamental differences between a manager (even a good one) and a genuine leader.
So what’s the difference? That’s what we’ll talk about in this article, identifying the 9 key differences between managers and leaders.
Managers tell. Leaders show.
Managers can provide directions and give orders. If you’re lucky, they do this clearly and with feedback. Leaders, on the other hand, strive to embody what they ask of their staff: showing the way by example. To give one example: A manager might tell his employees to follow up with every customer (and leave it at that). But a leader will practice what she preaches: following up on employee queries just as she asks her employees to do with customers—in other words, showing them how it’s done.Managers instruct. Leaders coach.
Managers and leaders have quite different approaches to training. Managers instruct, telling employees how to do a task, step by step. They give them the requirements and let them know when they’re falling short. They may be clear and objective, but their training tends to be a bit impersonal and one-size-fits-all. Leaders, in contrast, are more like great football coaches: they are attuned to the various strengths and weaknesses of each member of their team, and approach the teaching of new skills as a process of bringing out the potential that’s already there in an employee. They also give encouraging and specific feedback, praising their people for what they’ve gotten right—and motivating them to do better the next time.
