SH1710

Are you a leader or a manager?

1. Leadership inspires change, management supervises transformation.

A leader must set direction and inspire people to follow them. The process of following often
requires great change. This is where strong management comes in. It's the manager's job to
oversee the work needed to implement the necessary changes and realize the organizational
transformation set forth by the leadership.

2. Leadership requires vision, management requires tenacity.

A leader needs to envision what the business is to become. A great manager must have the
willingness to do whatever it takes to achieve the goals set forth by the leader.

3. Leadership requires imagination, management requires specifics.

A great leader can cultivate their imagination to inform their vision. It helps them "see" what
can be. Managers must understand that vision and drive their teams to do the specific work
necessary to accomplish what has been expressed.

4. Leadership requires abstract thinking, management requires concrete data.

By definition, abstract thinking enables a person to make connections among, and see
patterns within, seemingly unrelated information. The ability to think abstractly comes in
very handy when reimagining what an organization can become. Conversely, a manager must
be able to work with and analyze concrete data in order to ensure optimal results.

5. Leadership requires the ability to articulate, management requires the ability to interpret.

A good leader can describe their vision in vivid detail so to engage and inspire their
organization to pursue it. A good manager must interpret that stated vision and recast it in
terms that their teams can understand and embrace it.

6. Leadership requires an aptitude to sell, management requires an aptitude to teach.

A leader must sell their vision to their organization and its stakeholders. They must convince
all concerned parties that what is envisioned is achievable and provides greater value than
what is created by the business today. In keeping, a manager must be able to teach their
teams what must be learned and adapted to attain the stated vision.

7. Leadership requires an understanding of the external environment, management requires an

understanding of how work gets done inside the organization.

A leader must understand the business environment in which the enterprise operates so to
better anticipate opportunities and evade misfortune, while a manager is relied on to figure
out how to get things done using the resources available to the business.
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8. Leadership requires risk-taking, management requires self-discipline.

A leader will take educated risks when setting a strategic direction for a business. Managers
must have the self-discipline to stick to the plan for realizing that strategic direction so to
ensure that the strategy comes together as planned.

9. Leadership requires confidence in the face of uncertainty, management requires a blind

commitment to completing the task at hand.

A leader's life is filled with uncertainty. They're setting a course for their company in
unchartered waters. Once the course is set, managers are duty-bound to follow the stated
direction and commit to delivering the results expected.

10. Leadership is accountable to the entire organization, management is accountable to the

team.

Finally, leaders must consider the impact of their decisions on the whole organization. A
misstep can bring an entire business to its knees. It's a huge responsibility. Accordingly,
managers are responsible for their teams. They must ensure that their teams are prepared to
deliver and that each member is equipped to do what is required for success.

Indeed, there are important differences between leading and managing. The best leaders lead and
let others manage; the best managers understand their leader's vision and work with their teams
to achieve it. Your business needs people with both kinds of skills and aptitudes to secure
enduring success. Take the time to understand these differences so as to build an organization
that leverages each to the fullest.

Reference:
Kerr, J. (2015). “Leader or manager? These 10 important distinctions can help you out”. In Inc. Retrieved from
http://www.inc.com/james-kerr/leading-v-managing-ten-important-distinctions-that-can-help-you-to-
become-better.html

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