Difference between Leader and Manager

What is the difference between a leader and a manager?

My dictionary gives a definition of leader as “one that leads or guides.” It then defines leads as “To show the way” and “To guide or direct in a course.” The same dictionary defines manager as “one who handles, control, or directs.”

As I study those definitions, I come to understand that both leader and manager follow the common English meaning of the words. A leader has a destination and has gathered a following that the leader is taking to that destination. A leader “leads” his or her followers to the leader’s destination. A manager, on the other hand, follows procedures to maintain the status quo or controls people and situations to reach someone else’s goals.

We need both in a fully functioning society – leaders to set direction and goals and managers to maintain control in reaching the goals and to maintain the benefits of reaching the goal.

Which are you? Where do your past activities place you? What do your desires indicate is the proper role for you in the future? How willing are you to take chances?

The following chart may help differentiate leaders and managers. Please add additional items in the comments section.

Leaders	Managers
Are controlled by a vision	Are controlled by procedures
Willing to take larger risks	More risk averse
Are people oriented	Are procedure oriented
Desires to explorer new thoughts	Desires to maintain the status quo
Willing to go-it-alone	Desires ratification or confirmation from peers or superiors.
Communicates dreams, right brain	Communicates processes, left brain
Supports followers	Supports established practices
Not easily swayed from destination, and if swayed, will quickly return.	How we get there is more important than where we are going.
Start companies or take companies through changes.	Join companies after the company is established.
Frustrated by highly established companies	Frustrated by highly dynamic companies

Tags: Business, Leadership, Management