A Leader and a Manager


Introduction


Both terms tend to be used interchangeably in many circles, especially among those for whom leading is really a matter of looking to their manager. I believe, however, that there is a difference between a leader and a manager. In this article, I intend to expound on the differences.


Leadership


Much has been written on leadership. Several authors like Patty Vogan (5 Key Traits of Great Leaders), Mitch McCrimmon, PhD (Personal Traits of Leaders) and Chris Boleman(Personality Traits of Leaders) identified the following traits important to leaders.



  • Vision, non-acceptance of the status quo, locus of control

  • Passion, high energy

  • Decision-maker, dominance

  • Team-builder, sensitivity to others

  • Character, integrity, stability

  • Willingness to stand out, thick-skinned

  • Determination and perseverance, self-belief, self-confidence

  • Questioning mind, intelligence, flexibility


Management


Managers, while they share similar traits to leaders, have their differences. Denis Amour (Important traits good managers will need in the next millennium) and Donna M. Amaral-Phillips (Traits of Successful Managers) identified the traits of managers.



  • Technology-savvy

  • Good listener

  • Emotionally stable

  • Strong at relationships

  • Adaptable

  • Good manipulator of resources

  • Information mediator

  • Visionary

  • Ethical

  • Welcomes diversity


Leading vs Managing


From what the above writers have expounded on, it would appear that many of the aspects of leadership and management do cross over. This author did, however, identify certain differences.



  1. A leader needs to be a strong decision-maker, whereas a manager need not be so. Perhaps this has to do with the fact that a manager may have someone higher up or a policy manual to refer to, while a leader may not have this luxury.

  2. A leader needs to be willing to stand out from the crowd, whereas a manager need not be so.

  3. A leader is someone with a strong sense of belief in his ideas, whereas a manager generally executes another person’s ideas. The manager can still be a visionary with the other person’s ideas – expanding them and expounding on them, for instance.

  4. A leader has a very flexible mind, willing to question and make accommodations when necessary. On the other hand, the inflexible mind of the manager is extremely important in making sure everything is executed properly.

  5. A manager needs to be a strong resource manipulator – the facts that he needs to be technology-savvy and welcoming of diversity are both linked to his ability to manipulate resources. A manager works with limited resources, and is strong at working with these limited resources.


It is interesting to note, based on the study, how a person may be a strong leader but a poor manager. Conversely, a person may be a strong manager but a poor leader. A strong leader supported by strong managers will become a team so powerful that competition will have no choice but to treat them seriously.


Conclusion


Much has been written on leadership and management, and (in most cases) both are synonymous with each other. However, the traits required of each are different, and each organisation should think carefully when it selects its leaders and managers.


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