Every leader has their own leadership style and every manager their own management style.
Managers tend to manage goals, budgets, deadlines, clients, people and projects.
Whereas, leaders influence, empower, guide a team or a group of people towards a specific vision.
Most for the time, these terms are used interchangeably.
Sometimes, the line between managers and leaders get blurred because both leaders and managers have to make sure that their teams are successful and that their organization benefit from their intervention.
Wondering whether are the traits that set managers and leaders apart?
1. Short-term vs Long-term z
Managers oversee the short-term metrics, execute tasks and help others execute tasks in order to reach these metrics.
On the contrary, leaders pay attention to long-term goals, overall progress and drive change.
2. Problem-oriented vs Solution-oriented
Managers punctually correct mistakes and set people back on track.
Leaders value growth and provide solutions so that their team don’t make the same mistakes.
3. Task-oriented vs. People-oriented
On one hand, managers are task-oriented individuals. They encourage their team to achieve each tasks and reach each goals.
On the other hand, leaders are people-oriented. They delegate tasks and trust that their team will achieve them.
4. Trust building vs Team building
Managers build team-cohesion and motivate people to do their job.
However, leaders build trust, motivate and encourage others to contribute to the team and to the organization.
5. Title vs Exemplarity
Managerial roles usually come with a title and expect team members to individually take care of their problems.
Leaders are able to do the opposite and to lead without a title. Leaders lead by example, advice their team and transform problems into solutions.
6. Maintaining culture vs Building culture
Managers impregnate themselves with the company culture and the vision for the organization. They help their team members align themselves with the principles of the organization and to maintain the company culture.
Contrarily, leaders have purpose, have a vision, core beliefs for themselves and their organization that they are able to share with their team. They build the culture.
Last Words Of Advice!
Leadership and management are not mutually exclusive.
Sometimes, managers and leaders have overlapping yet critical roles.
Furthermore, there is no right or wrong way to lead or to manage:
- Everybody is different and has a personal approach to dealing with other people.
- Everybody has to figure out at some point how they want to be handled and how they wish to handle people, whether or not a managerial or leadership is more suitable.
Are you a manager or a leader?
Hope that I’ve helped you get it together on your way to leadership!Don’t forget to like, share and leave a comment below.

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