Perhaps you are already a manager, or aspire to be a manager, or soon to be promoted to a manager or on the lookout for an opportunity to work with a good manager. 

 

 

 

In the management hierarchy, a manager has the authority to get the help of others to achieve organizational goals through five basic functions: planning, organizing, staffing, leading and controlling. For instance, the sales manager for a company may start this year with a sales plan and set the sales goals. Next, he or she needs to organize all the available resources and perhaps hire more sales staff and allocate sales assignments to each staff accordingly. Along the journey towards achieving the sales goals, he or she may train, motivate and coach salespeople to ensure that they are equipped with the skills/mindsets to close more sales. Inevitability, the manager has to lead and solve problems with salespeople to ensure every action/performance/sales goal is on track according to plans.  Most of the time, the management style of the manager tends to be more transactional and task-oriented whenever possible to get the thing done.

 

Unlike managers who have subordinates, leaders have followers. Leaders who have created a circle of influence are more likely to attract people who are not their direct subordinates and yet seek their advice. At the same time, leaders take risks, think beyond problems and inspire people to convert challenges into opportunities. They have the ability to recognize individual's unique situation and capabilities in order to address each independently. Great leaders practice leadership to drive results. They do the right thing and not just do things right like the managers.

 

 

For a manager who inspires to be a leader, the first step is to put aside the formal authority to tell people what to do and shift towards encouraging people to challenge the status quo and suggest better ways to do things. As a leader, it is not just about managing work to meet expectations, but also leading people through ability in order to motivate and inspire them to chart new growth.  The followers know that their leaders trust them to be the best they can be. Hence they follow the leaders with their hearts.