Are You A Manager, Or A Leader?

I used to think, “there’s no difference between a manager or a leader”.  If you do your job well, you get promoted, eventually you become a manager and you lead people, right?

…I couldn’t have been more wrong.

Early on in my career I would watch designers and writers get promoted to “director” status.  They’d be given teams of creatives and larger projects that they would naturally manage to successful results.  At the time I would quietly think, “they’re such great leaders”, secretly hoping that some day I would become just like them.

But, as the years went on, as I began working under more people and eventually started forming teams of my own, I began to see a major difference in what makes up a successful team.

So, let’s start at the beginning.  What is a manager, what is a leader, and what’s the difference?

In my opinion (and this is only my opinion, so please do the research for yourself)…

A manager is someone who drives towards success, through structure and plans.  They “manage” outcomes, and often people, through strong direction and control to bring about results.

A leader is someone who inspires.  They breath life into people and teams.  They motivate and influence individuals and organizations to become something more, something better than they are right now.

Now, to be fair, he world needs both.  Things often wouldn’t get done without managers, and new innovations might not be created without leaders, but it’s important to know the strengths and outputs of each.

Take a look at this simple grid below.

Managers	Leaders
Focus on success	Focus on learning
Results driven	People driven
Do things right	Do the right things
Plan	Inspire
Organize	Influence
Direct	Motivate
Control	Create
Follow rules	Shape entities

So, which one are you?  Or, which one do you want to be?

For myself, I’m a leader.  I do love to see results, have success and value a good organized plan… But, what really inspires me is inspiring others!  What really drives the work I do is motivating and shaping a better (or at least a different) tomorrow!

Now, knowing who you are (or want to become) is important.  But understanding who you need (in other words who you work best under) is often even more important.

Every person, no matter who you are, has a supervisor.  If you’re an employee you have a boss, if you’re the boss you have a board, if you work on your own you have a client, if you’re a client you have a customer… The cycle goes on and on.

Knowing who you need, and who will truly enable you to thrive is one of the most important aspects of your ongoing career.

I’ve had many supervisors in my time, some good and some… not so much.  But with each experience I’ve gained a stronger understanding of what enables me to thrive.  …what I need in a “leader” to take myself, and the teams I lead, to the next level.

So, no matter where you’re at in your career or in your journey towards success, ask yourself this question.  Who you are, and who you need, for your continued success?

If you haven’t already, take some time, reflect on your life and experiences and on who you want to become. Then, make a choice.

Are you a manager, or a leader?