Difference Between Manager and Leader

Manager vs Leader

While the words manager and leader may appear to mean they same thing, they do not. A manager is someone who manages and is responsible for the important aspects of a job, project, or team.  A leader is someone who is influential, takes charge, and is an example for others.  Managers and leaders usually obtain their title in a work, educational, or team environment through a demonstration of their management and leadership skills. In an ideal situation, a manager should possess leadership qualities, and similarly a leader should possess managerial qualities.

Managers have different responsibilities based on what they do and who they are managing.  They have the ability to delegate and implement plans for a business or team.  Managers are necessary to keep a consistent understanding of who is in charge in a group.  A leader is a person who takes the lead in a group and chooses to perform to the best of his ability and helps others do the same.  In a team, school, or professional setting, a successful manager should have both managerial and leadership qualities.

Some look at leaders and managers as different because a leader tends to deal with the personal issues of a group, whereas a manager manages tasks and projects, not people.  Additionally it is believed that a manager, because they are considered superior, has subordinates.  Subordinates are people who should follow and do what they are instructed to by their manager.  A leader does not have subordinates, a leader has followers.  Followers are people who believe in what the leader teaches or does because they have earned a certain amount of reverence.  A follower is not forced to follow the leader, unlike a manager and his subordinates.

There are also different responses to certain situations which are typical of a manager and a leader.  A manager strives to obtain results by making rules, remaining in control, and reacting to situations they may encounter.  A leader chooses to achieve goals through passion, heart, and charisma.  The leader is said to have better people skills than a manager, so they tend to focus on human emotion and desires.  Managers do not incorporate human emotion or desire into their decisions; they prefer to use concise, scientific methods of managing a group.

While a manager and leader have very different characteristics which help them succeed, it is those leadership and managerial qualities which come together to make a good manager,  who should also be a leader.

Summary

1. A manager manages and takes responsibility of a situation.  A leader takes charge, is influential, and sets an example.
2. The manager has responsibilities and is able to delegate and implement plans.  A leader is an example for others and is someone who doesn’t necessarily have a large responsibility.
3. Managers have subordinates who follow their rules.  Leaders have individuals who believe in what they say, otherwise known as followers.
4. Leaders focus on human emotion and charisma to lead.  Managers focus on concise, scientifically proven methods to lead.