L E A D E R S

3 Things That Separate Leaders From Managers

Sep 12, 12 | 12:05 am

By Vivian Giang

To build a successful organization, there needs to be a variety of people playing different roles in order for things to run smoothly.

Some of these roles are easily defined while others may have more confusing boundaries, such as the difference between a manager and a leader. You can be a manager and a leader at the same time, but just because you're a phenomenal leader doesn't guarantee you'll be a great manager, and vice-versa, so what's the real difference?

In his book On Becoming a Leader, Warren Bennis writes about a few crucial differences between a leader and a manager. Here are some key differentiators from the book, as well as insights from Gene Wade, founder and CEO of UniversityNow, and late management guru Peter Drucker.

1. The leader innovates whereas the manager administers

This means that the leader is the one who comes up with new ideas and moves the rest of the organization into a forward-thinking phase. This person has to constantly keep his eyes on the horizon and develop new strategies and tactics. He needs to be knowledgeable about the latest trends, studies and skill sets.

"You got people who are just going to work instead of thinking about why they're doing what they're doing, and then you have the leaders," Wade says.

On the other hand, a manager maintains what has already been established. This person has to keep her eye on the bottom line and maintain control or else there might be disorder within the organization. 

In his book The Wall Street Journal Essential Guide to Management: Lasting Lessons from the Best Leadership Minds of Our Time, Alan Murray cites Drucker as saying that a manager is someone who "establishes appropriate targets and yardsticks, and analyzes, appraises and interprets performance." Managers understand the people who work alongside them and know which person is the best person for specific tasks. 

2. The leader inspires trust whereas the manager relies on control

Wade says that a leader is someone who inspires other people to be their best and knows how to appropriately set the tempo and pace for the rest of the group. 

"Leadership is not what you do-it's what others do in response to you," he says. "If no one shows up at your march, then you're not really a leader."

Source for full article: OPEN Forum