Introduction
People periodically confuse leaders with managers – and vice versa. However, these concepts are different; for example, if some individuals can cope with managerial roles, it does not mean they can be leaders to inspire and motivate their team. Not all leaders can effectively manage and control people, resources, and processes. This essay highlights the difference in outlook for managers and leaders, giving a clear understanding of each position.
Differences Between Managers and Leaders
Leader Priority of Motivation
Firstly, leaders focus mainly on encouraging and motivating people to achieve their goals. They emphasize developing and supporting their followers, developing teamwork, and creating an inspired and effective work atmosphere (Li 2). Leaders see the big picture, set the sails and the direction for the future, and give others enthusiasm for their ideas. These people ignite the desire to overcome difficulties and reach the top in people’s hearts. Leaders are constantly striving to improve themselves in every way possible. They want to change the world, try to invent something new and challenge the status quo.
Leaders can break conventional norms, cause transformations, and encourage others to follow. They usually have a restless mind that makes them constantly strive for more and improve the world around them. They are not afraid to take risks and see failure as part of the process – taking risks repeatedly, even if they know they might fail again.
Leaders do not stop until they have accomplished what they set out to do. A leader will encourage diversity in the team and take the risk of bringing together employees with different views, perceptions, and philosophies not to ensure cohesive work but to reap a good harvest of diverse ideas. Leaders are often pleasant to be around, attractive people, empathetic, and able to understand another person’s point of view and step into their shoes. They make the right connections and gain trust with people they believe will help realize their vision.
Managerial Priority of Organization
Secondly, managers prioritize managing people, resources, finances, time, and technology. They are responsible for planning, organizing, controlling, and monitoring several tasks and processes. Managers develop a detailed plan to achieve a leader’s vision and implement projects. They focus on creating the right environment, attracting the right people, organizing the day-to-day work, and the managerial aspects of achieving the overall goal. Managers look at managing and optimizing processes, setting short-term purposes that they believe can be achieved quickly with their resources.
It is on managers’ shoulders to create a solid plan they are happy to stick to. If they see a project that should work, they will try to implement it. Managers are usually risk-averse, evaluating risks, assessing potential damage, and looking for ways to prevent or mitigate them. In an organization, managers keep employees out of conflict; they assign people with similar views and perceptions to the same shift or department.
A manager aims to assemble a team that works smoothly, without dispute or unplanned risks. Managers work with short-term goals aligned with a leader’s long-term vision. Managers want to improve themselves and develop their subordinates. However, the best practices they adopt are the outcome of the leaders’ work, which will not necessarily apply to the rest of the population.
Point of Convergence
Leadership and management are two distinct but complementary action systems. Both are necessary for success in a complex and volatile business environment. Both management and leadership involve influence, but a leader looks for constructive ideas and solutions, while a manager follows order (Northouse 45). Leaders carefully evaluate and sort people like managers who recruit winners with a good track record (Blanchard and Hodges 122). These roles can exist in one person; a good leader can be a good manager and vice versa.
Conclusion
In conclusion, while the roles of managers and supervisors may overlap, they differ in their nature and essence. In brief, a leader is more like a mentor and an inspirer, while a manager is more like a supervisor, keeping order in the workplace. Competent management allows one to cope with complexity; without it, everything turns into chaos. Leadership is essential for constructive transformations when it is necessary to identify development directions and strategies, unite people, and motivate and inspire them to move in the right direction. Leaders focus on results, while managers focus more on the process.
Works Cited
Blanchard, Ken, and Phil Hodges. Lead like Jesus: Lessons for Everyone from the Greatest Leadership Role Model of All Time. Thomas Nelson, 2005.
Li, Hui, et al. “Influence of Transformational Leadership on Employees’ Innovative Work Behavior in Sustainable Organizations: Test of Mediation and Moderation Processes.” Sustainability, vol. 11, no. 6, 2019, 1-21. Web.
Northouse, Peter G. Introduction to Leadership: Concepts and Practice. 5th ed., SAGE Publications, 2020.
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