A Manager or A Leader
Is There a Difference?
Understanding the difference between management and leadership is key to developing both one’s leadership and one’s managerial skill set. If the difference isn’t understood the blurring of the lines may very well cause the manager or leader to expend much energy and countless hours attempting to become, develop, or accomplish something that does not respond to their efforts.
Really, is there a difference? Perhaps the simplest explanation I have ever heard is the relationship of the person with people. People work for a manager. If you are wanting people to work for you to accomplish your purpose, vision, mission and goals, be a manager. While people WORK for a manager, people FOLLOW a leader. If you want to show people how they can accomplish shared purpose, vision, mission and goals, then learn to facilitate that in others and people will follow you. Just as a manager has unique skillsets in coordinating plans, systems and processes, the leader utilizes character, personality, behaviors, beliefs, and insights to inspire and motivate others to follow their model.
To be sure, all managers are leaders, sometimes only by virtue of the authority of their position and other times by possessing dual skillsets and being able to utilize both for greater combined good. But not all leaders are managers. That is another potential difference. Managers lead by virtue of their position or by the ability to influence people aside from any external authority. A leader may be the person occupying the lowest position in an organization or association of people. A leader is defined because people are following him or her regardless of any position.
Let’s look at another subtle difference between a manager and a leader. A manager gets things done. That is, a manager executes plans, processes, skillsets to produce something through others. A leader inspires and facilitates others to accomplish shared vision, mission, purpose and goals. Because of that, which has been referenced earlier, a manager is accountable for self and subordinates to someone who is also a manager, or a person getting things done by people who work for them. But the leader is accountable to a higher power or calling that influences the leader to be a facilitator of others shared for common purpose, vision, mission, and goals.
There are many other nuances or distinctly definable differences between management and leadership. The purpose of this blog is 1) to highlight the fact the difference exists and 2) to note the strong correlation between the two. It has already been mentioned every manager is a leader, but not every leader is a manager. However, the two work as close as a hand and glove. Pending the leader’s purpose, it may not be necessary to be a manager to influence choices and behaviors of others. However, because of what causes a leader to be a leader, being a leader can be a tremendous benefit for the manager in fulfilling his or her role.
What are those things that cause a leader to be a leader whether he or she is a manager or not? Among those are character, personality, behaviors, and beliefs that result in respect and trust. These qualities create a desire in others to attain to the same. Further, the better leader is willing to share those qualities with others as a coach or friend whether that person ever works for them. However, a manager is one who has the responsibility to manage people to get things done according to their assigned agenda. It seems obvious that a manager who is also a leader should expect higher productivity from the people who work for him or her than a manager who has no influence over those for whom he or she is responsible except by the power of their position.
But it is vitally important to realize the difference. For one thing, a leader would likely resent a performance review and evaluation himself or herself, since it is the other people into whom he or she is investing and facilitating their leadership to lead them on a path that accomplishes their shared purpose, vision, mission, and goals. But a manager, that is different. A manager should expect to receive a performance review and evaluation since they are directly responsible for himself or herself and their subordinates. The person who is both a leader and a manager benefits by knowing the difference and understanding if the performance review and evaluation is being done because the person doing it sees them as a manager or a leader.
This blog has investigated the sphere that has a hemisphere called a leader and a hemisphere called a manager. It is not a perfect 50/50 hemisphere, but somehow has its distinctions while sharing certain things in common. Consider the earth’s sphere with its surface being perhaps 1/3 land and 2/3s water. The two are indeed distinct, but both are necessary for life on this planet as it is now.
Oh, to be or not to be. A leader or a manager, ahhhhh, or both. It is important to respond to the Lord’s call upon one’s individual life to most perfectly contribute to the health of the whole body.
My hope, vision, dream and aspiration is to build a legacy of leadership that will continue to inspire and facilitate both those who are manager/leaders and those who are leaders regardless of position, as everyone in this leadership team Focuses on Jesus and Follows his Plan. For indeed, we are Better Together, united in Jesus Christ in common purpose, vision, mission and goals.
