Is there a difference between managers and leaders? To me, the answer is?absolutely. After researching articles about the differences between managers and leaders I concluded that my current work environment, which employs two principals, leans towards more managerial than leadership qualities. There is always the opportunity to become a manager, but becoming a leader takes a certain kind of higher learning and understanding in order to be practiced effectively. A manager finds immediate solutions, a leader questions the solutions. The term manager exemplifies the more structured, controlled, analytical, orderly, and rule-oriented person. The leader exemplifies a more experimental, visionary, unstructured, flexible and risk taking person. Managers and leaders think differently internally, therefore the outcome is different externally. Below are a few examples of the differences between managers and leaders.
Managers? Leader?
Maintains Develops
Accepts reality Investigates it
Has a short-range view Has a long-range perspective
Has his/her eye on the bottom line Has his/her eye on the horizon
Imitates Originates
Accepts the status quo Challenges the status quo
Classic good soldier His/her own person
Are analytical/structured/orderly Are experimental/visionary/creative
Use the power of logical mind Use the power of intuition
Consider dangers Sense opportunity
Isolate Correlate
Think rivals/Competition Think Partners/Cooperation
Correct Strategic Weaknesses& ...