If you were to be promoted to a management position, you need to know which one you would be - a great leader or a mere manager.
Here are some important differences between being an effective leader and just a manager:
1. A good leader thinks long-term, while a mere manager only looks at the short-term.
It's way too easy to be focused on the urgent matters compared to the important ones. A mere manager spends a lot of time and effort on their short term goals, and they are likely to reprimand their people for not achieving their short-term goals.
On the other hand, great leaders don't care much about how employees are doing their day-to-day jobs. Instead, they are focused on how their team will achieve their main and long-term goals.
2. A good leader sees his/her team members as people, while a mere manager only knows organizational charts and titles.
Great leaders don't refer to the people on their team by their titles, but rather, by their names. They also think of their members individually and as a team, and they do their best to know and understand each of their needs, strengths, and even weaknesses.
3. Good leaders work to earn their subordinates' respect, whereas mere managers long to be liked by their people.
Good leaders are not always likeable people. In fact, their goal is to make their team members do those things that nobody wants to do, just to make sure they achieve their goals. In contrast, mere managers want to be liked, so they are likely to do only the things that will make them likeable, which are not always for the benefit of the organization.
4. A good leader is happy to see team members excel, while a mere manager may feel threatened.
A mere manager knows to himself or herself that they don't have much, and that they are in fact, replaceable. Thus, they are likely to feel threatened whenever there is someone or some people in the team who are doing a great job.
On the other hand, true leaders take pride in their team's success and accomplishments. They recognize that their greatness in leadership isn't only based on creating good followers, but great leaders as well.
5. A great leader is not afraid to lead with transparency, whereas a mere manager chooses what information to reveal to spare himself or herself from trouble.
Any executive coaching expert would describe a great leader as someone who isn't scared to be honest because they know they're doing their best. They also know how to take responsibility for any problems in the workplace, and they're always ready to take the blame.a
