At first glance, it is easy to mistake a leader for a manager and vice versa. There’s no doubt that the two roles share similarities. Both are “above” others in that they provide guidance, direction, and oversight. Managers can become leaders but the point at which they bridge the gap can be fuzzy and difficult to navigate.
You’re in a management position. You’ve implemented leadership strategies. But you’re still not the leader you want to be. You aren’t recognized as a leader.
So, what’s the difference? If you want to become a leader and transcend the role of manager, keep reading.
5 Qualities that Set Leaders Apart from Managers
1) Leaders champion a vision.
We all have goals. Managers are the goal-setters. They create milestones and landmarks to accomplish. However, they don’t usually have vision. A leader has vision. Visions aren’t specific tasks to do or deadlines to meet. They are those overarching, big-picture ideas about who and what you want to be or what you want your business to be. It’s more than just doing. It’s being. It’s embodying. If you want to be a leader, have vision — not just goals.
A vision looks to the impossible and makes it possible. Leaders strive to inspire. They want those around them to get on board with big ideas, to be part of larger goals and movements. It is this person — this leader — who truly inspires change in the world.
2) Leaders add to their team.
One of the key differences between leaders and managers is how they approach value. Managers often remove themselves from the equation. They prefer to count value rather than create it. A leader, however, sees themselves as a critical piece in the puzzle — someone who contributes to their team in real, tangible ways.
3) Leaders disrupt.
In recent years, the term “disrupters” has become increasingly prevalent in business and entrepreneurship circles. A disrupter is just what they sound like — a company or individual that someway, somehow, changes the game. They want to push the limits of what we do and how we do it. This is something that true leaders do. They aren’t content to do things the same way because we’ve always done it that way. No, leaders look to see where they can innovate and improve — not just in their own bubble of colleagues and employees, but in their industries as a whole.
Where leaders champion innovation, managers maintain a status quo. This isn’t to say that everything a leader does is successful. But leaders don’t fear failure. They adjust, recalculate, and push forward. Stagnation is the worst thing that can happen to a leader, where managers embrace the predictability (if not the mediocrity) of their schedules.
4) Leaders are about the people, not the work.
Managers will focus primarily on the work to be done. They’re looking for things to be completed well and on time without much care or thought for the people who are actually doing it. This limited scope doesn’t take people into account — and people are who leaders really care about.
In leadership, we’re not there just to generate revenue or accomplish tasks. We’re there to lead, guide, and train up the next generation. Leaders should overlap into mentorship roles in many ways — seeing the best in our colleagues and encouraging them to fulfill their potential through guidance, inspiration, and encouragement.
5) Leaders have long-term vision.
Managers tend to think about things in terms of tasks and checklists. It’s about short-term work and rewards. For many managers, their position is a stepping-stone to something bigger. That is, they aren’t necessarily committed to their job, even if they perform well. They may stay there for years, but in the back of their mind, they’re waiting for something better. They might be doing a great job, but there isn’t much heart to the work.
A leader, on the other hand, is all about the long-term. They’re thinking in big pictures and being very intentional about the moves they make. They know full well that today’s small actions add up — and so they use every day to work towards big dreams.
Who in your life has been an example of excellent leadership? Share your stories in the comments.