In a business environment, what is the difference between a manager and a leader? Isn’t a manager also a leader? This is not always the case. In fact, it is not often the case, because the two roles are inherently different.
Below, Robb Misso, the CEO of DMS and a John C Maxwell Executive Council member, talks about the unique responsibilities each position has to offer:
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Some see a manager as someone who is controlling, and whom you have to put up with rather than like, while a leader is inspiring and likable. You have to follow the instructions of a manager, but a leader gives you autonomy yet makes you want to comply. A manager is more distant from the workforce than a leader.
Leaders are not necessarily in the upper echelons of an organization. They can appear anywhere, and managers who recognize one in their team should thank their lucky stars. A good leader gets on well with colleagues and ensures a happy atmosphere so that people get enjoyment from their work. A leader will empathize with colleagues while motivating them to perform to the best of their ability.
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How to Manage a Leader
Leaders need good managers. A leader who has the relevant support can make the work of a manager go much more smoothly, and the benefits will be mutual.
However, if managers obstruct the ideas and work of a leader, they are asking for trouble because the workforce is much more likely to follow a leader. There are plenty of examples of industrial unrest that has been fired by charismatic leaders, who influence their colleagues and co-workers.
It is therefore extremely important to have leaders on your side. This means regular communication, including them in important strategy meetings where possible, or debriefing them afterward if it’s not. It’s also a good idea to have them attend regular sessions where ideas and problems are aired and mutually satisfactory solutions can be found.
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Leaders Can Help Managers
When you are all in agreement and singing from the same hymn sheet, as a manager, you can allow an appropriate measure of autonomy for others to get on with things. Staff will not feel you breathing down their necks at every turn. They will feel free to make jokes and have a laugh and productivity will not suffer. They will be keen to help you meet deadlines and achieve goals if their leaders are eager to do so too.
Suppose you are a manager who is concerned that some members of staff do not appear to be adhering to one or more of the core values of the company. The desired culture of the organization is in danger of disappearing.
What can you do? Who can help? The answer is obvious. It’s the leaders, of course. Whether you call them in to discuss it and deal with it in a circumspect way, or have a more general meeting with them taking a prominent role and following it up, will depend on the circumstances. But the leaders can certainly help.
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Who is More Important?
“Both managers and leaders are important in business, and it will hard for the company to succeed and grow without good examples of each, stated Robb Misso. A charismatic business owner needs good managers to follow his or her leadership. Managers find it more difficult to maintain efficiency unless backed up by good leaders in the workforce.
