Manager VS leader: what are the differences?

The terms “leader” and “manager” are often used synonymously in the business world. Yet, these two functions differ in many ways. What are the roles, characteristics and essential qualities of these two key players in the company? We take stock.

 

The manager: role, qualities and missions

The manager has a clear and official function within the company. His authority is therefore directly linked to his position and hierarchical position.

The manager’s role is to act as a link between management and employees and to ensure the operational efficiency of the teams in the field.

The local manager is responsible for defining an action plan, managing projects and delegating tasks in order to achieve the objectives set within the given deadlines, with the resources and budget provided.

The manager is therefore above all a project facilitator : he is focused on objectives and the achievement of results.

The essential managerial qualities and skills of a good manager include:

• the organization,
• pragmatism,
• listening,
• emotional intelligence,
• a sense of pedagogy,
• adaptability,
• empathy,
• agility…

 

Field managers must also ensure the well-being of their employees and deliver benevolent and constructive feedback to help their teams evolve. They are also required to master the various project management tools (agile methods, setting SMART objectives, SCRUM method, lean management, etc.) and develop an operational management style adapted to the context and the personalities that make up their team (this is called situational management).

 

→ To learn more about the different leadership styles, see our article on management types.

 

In addition, the manager-coach must promote the professional development of each employee and their daily commitment. This is indeed part of the responsibilities of a manager.

Finally, a good manager must be there to encourage collective intelligence, collaboration and mutual aid within the team (in the context of participative management, or collaborative management versus a directive type of leadership).

 

The leader: role, qualities and missions

The leader is recognized as such by the members of the group : his status is informal and he does not have an official hierarchical position vis-à-vis specific subordinates. It is thanks to his qualities, his know-how and his interpersonal skills that he holds this position within the company.

The leader can be the manager, but it can also be an employee, who distinguishes himself from the others by a real natural leadership, or it can even be the leader himself.

The role of a leader within a team is to be above all the driving force of the group. He is a force for proposals and initiatives, he motivates the teams and does not hesitate to shake up the established codes. It is a real Catalyst for change and innovation. He will advise, guide, influence and unite the other employees. His interpersonal skills, accomplishments and ideas command respect, loyalty and admiration and give him a solid reputation within the group.

Essential qualities of good leaders include:

• charisma,
• leadership,
• natural authority,
• honesty,
• authenticity,
• exemplarity,
• interpersonal skills,
• communication skills,
• enthusiasm,
• managerial coaching,
• decision-making,
• boldness and the ability to take risks,
• The dynamism…

The true business leader has a clear, strong and engaging long-term vision, which inspires and motivates the group in a natural way.

 

Manager VS Leader: Differences and Similarities

Here is an overview of the main differences between management and leadership:

• The leader is charismatic, without being authoritarian. He seeks to generate change while the manager seeks to improve existing operating methods;

• The leader takes risks while the manager controls the risks ;

• The leader shakes up existing models while the manager reproduces schemes whose effectiveness he knows: he bases himself on his achievements above all;

• The leader knows how to innovate and is constantly evolving to ensure the company’s competitiveness, while the manager focuses above all on achieving the objectives set in the short term;

• The leader orients his decisions around a final vision, while the manager is focused on the objectives;

• Being a leader also means uniting, advising and motivating employees while the manager leads the team, assigns and controls tasks, organizes processes, etc.

 

As can be seen, there are a number of distinctions between leadership and management, but these two concepts are not inseparable. It should also be noted that it is not necessary to be a manager to be a leader, and similarly, being a manager does not always mean being a good leader!

 

However, to manage well, leadership qualities are essential to guarantee operational performance , motivation and commitment of employees.