At a Crossroad - Being a Leader vs. Being a Manager
Posted: February 1, 2018 | Author: Cecilia Sim, Facilitator and Strategy Training Partner
What role will bring you better results this year - being a leader, a manager or embracing both?
Perhaps you are already managing a team, or aspiring to be a manager, or seeking to work with someone who manages well. Wherever you are, the question remains: should you focus on managing tasks or leading people?
Doing what a manager does
In the management hierarchy, a manager has the authority to achieve organizational goals through five core functions: planning, organizing, staffing, leading and controlling. For instance, the sales managers at the start of the year, set sales goals and develop a sales plan. They organize all the available resources, hire sales staff and assign responsibilities. Along the way, they train, coach, and motivate the team to ensure that they have the skills to succeed. They monitor progress, solve problems, and keep performance on track. This style is often transactional and task-oriented - focused on getting things done.
Crossing Over into Leadership
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But today, management alone is not enough. To truly drive results, managers must also lead. Leadership has a huge influence on the team to drive their contributions to the organisational results. It is what inspires people to give more, to innovate, and to commit beyond the minimum.
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Leader vs. Manager: Key Differences
- Manager have subordinates; leaders have followers.
- Managers rely on authority; leaders build influence. They are more likely to attract people who are not their direct subordinates and yet seek their advice.
- Managers focus on doing things rightl leaders focus on doing the right thing.
- Managers minimize risk; leaders embrace it, turning challenges into opportunities.
- Managers direct tasks; leaders inspire growth.
Making the Transition into Leadership
For a manager who inspires to lead, the first step is to set aside the formal authority to tell people what to do and instead encourage people to challenge the status quo. As a leader, it is not just about managing people what to do to meet expectations, but trusting them to discover beeter ways, motivating them to grow, and inspiring them to believe in their own potentials.
Followers choose leaders not because they must, but because they want to. They follow with their hearts.
The Question for You
Are you ready to cross over from being a manager to a leader - or are you just beginning your journey to discover what leadership truly means?
