Manager or Leader?

Topic: Manager or Leader

Everyone holds the title of manager and leader at different points in their lives. Whether personal or professional everyone is capable of both. Example: we are our own personal leaders and it is upon us to manage, not only ourselves, but in some circumstances those around us.?

Managers:

We all wear many hats in our lives, and over time we learn to manage ourselves, family, personal and professional relationships. Business managers focus on understanding what their direct report want to accomplish. And then they coax them in a direction that aligns with what the manager is being measured on. They can accomplish this by coordinating and redirecting an individuals focus. The manager is mainly concerned with understanding their team and how to best get them to produce excellent results.

Leaders:

Leaders are less focused on their people and more focused on setting the destination. They foresee the future, are the first ones there, and then it's their responsibility to explain it well enough for others to navigate to. Leaders instill their vision into others which allows everyone to get to the destination together. If a leader can share this vision well enough with a manager then that manager can become a leader. Without a vision and mentorship, a manager can not progress.

Conclusion:

The manager and leader mindset are both necessary for the success of a business. Too many leaders and the team may not arrive at the final destination, too many managers and the company will stagnate. There is a delicate balance between the two, which varies by industry, size, geolocation, culture, ect. And though no accurate measurement is possible, most will instinctively know if their organization has a lack or one or the other. If neither can be found, the companies vision is at risk of being lost and a leader with purpose is needed.

Questions, Concerns, Outrage?:

What is the balance in your world? Can everyone be both a Manager and a Leader? If so at what cost?

-TBC