Leadership and management are commonly used as interchangeable terms in most environments. It is unfortunate that most people see these two styles as one in the same because they are, in fact, completely and utterly different. The reason leadership and management are so closely associated is because in general, they share a common goal; to utilize a team in achieving a specific goal. Can this goal be accomplished as a manager? Of course. Can it be accomplished as a leader? Absolutely. The difference lays in the approach taken to achieve your goals.

Leaders are managers and then some

Managers typically focus on the task at hand. They realize the skills of their personnel. They can successfully take a group of individuals and find the best ways to utilize these skills in achieving a task. Managers effectively utilize the skills they are given to achieve a common goal.

Leaders on the other hand, do not focus on the skills they are given. A leader can bring out skills in their personnel that have gone unnoticed. Leaders can tap the potential that his or her team possesses. They not only bring out the best in their team from a skilled perspective, but this influences them to develop a common goal. Managers can get their team to do something, but as said by Dwight Eisenhower, “Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it”.

What's the Difference?

Management and leadership are similar in theory, but the minor differences truly create an immeasurable difference in the two. In the long run, managers will produce results, they will reach goals, and they will be responsible for the success of their team. Leaders will produce results, they will reach goals, but they will happily step to the side and watch their team take responsibility for their own success. Managers will consistently achieve goals and never falter or be a detriment to the team. Leaders will not only achieve their goals, but they may produce new ideas or methods to make these results easier to achieve. Leaders can change the dynamic of a team, a system, or both simultaneously. Leaders are never a detriment to the team; they are often the inspiration and motivation of the team.

I recently switched programs in my graduate studies. I was pursuing my Masters in Business Administration and decided that I was not passionate about it. My original choice was to switch to a Masters in Strategic Leadership, but I was also presented with the option of a Masters in Business Management. The Business Management program focuses more on managing the processes in the workplace through accounting and financial analysis classes. The Strategic Leadership program focuses more on leading personnel through speech and communications classes. Ultimately I stuck with Strategic Leadership. This goes to show that there is an undeniable difference between managing and leading. If Universities can recognize a large enough difference to create a separate Masters program for leadership, shouldn’t we all be conscience of the differences?

Leadership Under the Lights

A similar example takes us to the gridiron. Brett Favre is considered one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time. He has won over 170 professional football games, more than any other quarterback in history, with his combination of talent, determination, toughness, and leadership abilities. Over the past few years he has fought through several injuries and the pressure to retire due to his age and illustrious career, but he continues to play and continues to be sought after every year. Does he have the same talent and ability that he had in the past? Of course not. At his age, playing such a physical sport for as long as he has, his skills have naturally diminished. The quality that keeps him a commodity is his leadership ability. When all the talent is gone, leadership is the skill that will never fade. It is the most valuable asset you can posses.

The word manage is defined as, “To bring about or succeed in accomplishing, sometimes despite difficulty or hardship”. This is a strong definition, insisting that managers must portray attributes of strength, confidence, and control. A manager can flat out get the job done. The word lead is defined as, “Chief; principal; most important” or “Coming in advance of others”. This definition simply implies that a leader is the most valuable commodity there is. A leader is irreplaceable. Both managers and leaders are successful, integral parts of any team, but which would you rather be?