Often, people confuse the term leader with the term manager. But there’s a big difference between them. A manager manages process, programs, and data. Leaders, on the other hand, guide people, build fellowship, and steer organizations to success (read: make money and grow). Leaders set the direction; managers follow the plan to get there. Yes, managers are indispensible when it comes to creating and monitoring policy. But leaders define and uphold an organization’s principles. And leaders — more specifically, engaged leaders — really drive engagement in an organization.
Management plays an essential role in the stability of a company. In fact, it’s critical for leaders to be effective managers as well as effective leaders. But because employee engagement entails a pervasive change in corporate culture, it unfortunately cannot be simply assigned to just any manager or management team.
Before you can get a handle on how leadership drives engagement, it’s important to understand the difference between a leader and a manager. For help, see the following table.
Management versus Leadership
| Management | Leadership |
| Management is about control. | Leadership is about trust and empowerment. |
| Management is about authority and hierarchy. | Leadership is about alignment and expertise. |
| Management involves discrete tasks. | Leadership’s focus is on vision. |
| Management involves one-way communication. | Leadership involves two-way communication. |
| Management is characterized by following the plan. | Leadership is characterized by experimentation. |
| Management assumes a dominating perspective. | Leadership invites multiple perspectives. |
| With management, there is often one decision-maker. | With leadership, team input is emphasized. |
| Management is about measurement. | Leadership is about personal accountability. |
| Management focuses on quick decision-making. | Leadership focuses on wise decision-making. |
| Management sticks with the tried and true. | Leadership seeks innovation. |
| Management assumes the role of director. | Leadership assumes the role of coach and counselor. |
| Management seeks to satisfy employees. | Leadership seeks to engage employees. |
The next table offers another way of looking at the difference between managers and leaders.
Managers versus Leaders
| Managers | Leaders |
| Take care of where you are | Take you to a new place |
| Deal with complexity | Deal with uncertainty |
| Are efficient | Are effective |
| Create policies | Establish principles |
