Ravi Speaks:Understanding The Difference Between Leader and A Manager
Ravi Speaks:
Updated on07.08.2022.
Understanding The Difference Between Leader and A Manager
Today, I want to take up the commonly misunderstood meanings of a leader and of a manager. Most people think that a good leader can be a good manager-which is not at all correct. A manager can be a good leader if he has certain additional qualities other than managing the affairs allotted to him. By attaining those additional qualities, he can be even more effective in getting his goals accomplished more comfortably and productively. What are those additional qualities which even any other person who is not a manager can also possess and become a leader?
Differences between Leader & Manager.
Manager & Leader-Differences.
For this, let us elaborate on the real meaning of a leader: –
A leader is a very broader term.” Charisma” is what is attached to the term leader, whereas a manager may or may not possess that magical quality. Charisma means the magical attraction which a person possesses and many people follow him and adore him. Whatever he says-that is strictly taken as a pathway to be followed by the group of people and thus a leader simply gets the power of leading that group and directing them to a meaningful destination or a goal. Thus, an effective leader can be a path provider and a real salvager of many problems for the people. He can be a visionary for an organization if we attached the same word to a commercial or a professional-set up. These professional setups also want to have a path director and a vision provider for their organization.
Simpler meaning of a leader.
Thus, in simpler and defining terms, the following is the elaborative definition of a leader: –
A simple definition is that leadership is the art of motivating a group of people to act towards achieving a common goal. In a business setting, this can mean directing workers and colleagues with a strategy to meet the company’s needs. Put even more simply, the leader is the inspiration for and director of the action. An effective leader is a person who does: -Creates an inspiring vision of the future. Motivates and inspires people to engage with that vision. A leader sets a clear vision for the organization, motivates employees, guides employees through the work process, and builds morale. Leadership involves leading others toward achieving clear goals.
Leader In Crisis.
Influencing Leader.
Here are some qualities they believe are needed to make you a leader -whom others will follow: Always tell the truth. Create a foundation of fairness and openness. Communicate constantly and exhibit strong and active listening skills.
True Leader.
Being a great leader is all about timing and knowledge. A good leader knows when to criticize, when to praise, when to encourage, and when to demand more from their team. Being a leader does not mean working in isolation. Nobody knows the answer to every problem, and it is essential to understand your shortcomings, and consistently learn and develop. A good leader will seek a mentor to learn from and bounce ideas off.”
Dr. Stephen Covey-author of “The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People”
A very famous book written by Dr. Stephen Covey-“The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People” clearly depicts the basic seven requisitions for an effective leader, Life, and even Love. These seven habits are simply laid here:-
Habit 1: Be Proactive:- Think ahead of customers’ needs. Think ahead for the needs of the team. Think ahead for changes in the market and shifting industry trends. Your success as a leader depends on you celebrating what’s been done well, staying present on what the team is doing now, and looking ahead to what you’ll need to lead far into the future.
Habit 2: Begin With the End in Mind:- We know there is value in setting and having goals, but the greater value is in leading those goals to production yields. The team can’t help you drive toward those goals unless you share not only the target, but the resources, authority, skills, tools, and expectations for the journey. Begin with the end in mind means setting the team up for success from the start.
Habit 3: Put First Things First:- Running around like your hair’s on fire keeps you focused on running and not completing what is most important. Do your best to avoid the ‘crazy busy’ mentality. Focus on priority issues first and likewise.
Habit 4: Think Win-Win: -A situation in which we can always think of both parties in a winning spree. We should be so polite and accepting that we give the solutions in a manner that both the parties stand to gain & be in a winning situation.
Habit 5: Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood:- It’s one thing to know we’re different but quite another to understand the differences in others. If you seek to recognize the differences, no one will be difficult. They will just be different. And that’s certainly acceptable.
Habit 6: Synergize:-Together is the best way to go ahead. Creativity and cooperation are the best approaches where we too learn so many things from the people who are with us. That way, we can work well in groups and can seek ideas from others to go ahead in our respective tasks. That is exactly what Synergizing means.
Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw.:- What are you doing daily to develop your character, confidence, skills, or relationships with those you lead? Are you doing things to support their efforts for growth or are you asking people to work long hours without recognizing their needs and desires to learn to grow professionally and personally? The blades can be sharpened through classes and training. If that is ignored, it will be difficult to get the job done.
The purpose of “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” is to help you lead your life in a truly effective way. They represent a proven process of personal and interpersonal growth that can have an immediate and lasting impact.
Leadership Is Action.
Leadership Is Demonstration.
Coming on to a Manager:-A manager has to perform all five functions to achieve goals, i.e., planning, organizing, staffing, directing, and controlling. Leadership is a part of these functions. Therefore, it is true to say, “All managers can be leaders, but all leaders may not be managers.” So a manager should be a leader, while a leader is not necessarily a manager. A leader is simply a charismatic figurehead who leads and inspires people to follow him. Foremost, a good manager should have the leadership skills to urge everyone to work harder and get the project. Managers and leaders are not automatically the same, but managers can become good leaders. Communicating well and celebrating team differences are among the ways to embrace your natural leadership skills. Leaders have several positive traits, such as resilience, integrity, and self-control.
Leadership Versus Managership.
Depiction Of Manager Versus Leader.
An enormous difference between leadership and management, and often overlooked, is that leadership always involves (leading) a group of people, whereas management needs only be concerned with responsibility for things. Management skills are used to plan, build, and direct organizational systems to accomplish missions and goals, while leadership skills are used to focus on a potential change by establishing direction, aligning people, and motivating and inspiring.
Charismatic-Leader Takes Along Everybody.
While concluding, I would say that the main difference between leaders and managers is that leaders have people follow them while managers have people who work for them. A successful business owner, therefore, needs to have a mix of both- a strong leader and a strong manager, to get the team on board to follow him towards his vision of success.
