Managers and Leaders…Successful Companies Need Both

The terms, manager and leader, are often interchanged. But the roles of both are different and yet both roles are needed in organizations. The fundamental difference is that leaders inspire followers whereas managers direct followers. The question for management training programs is whether good leaders and good managers are born or if they can be trained and developed. Let’s take a closer look.

Leadership is something not all leaders have and yet some employees do. It is not just a matter of rank in an organization. It requires a number of critical skills including the following:

• Vision and Communication
Leaders are able to see the big picture and articulate it in a clear and compelling way to others. Rather than shrink from challenges, they lend a fresh perspective and a “can-do” attitude to situations that stymie many people. Their ability to communicate their vision and motivate others to adopt a goal and believe that it can be achieved is what often distinguishes them from the crowd.

• Integrity
Leaders earn the trust of their followers by always doing what they say they will do, treating others fairly, operating in an ethical way and being confident (and humble) enough to admit when they are wrong. They also make decisive decisions in times of uncertainty that they feel comfortable printing on the front page of the paper.

• People Skills
The best leaders have superior people skills. They understand what motivates people. This is how they influence others…they get what makes them tick, respect their talents and achievements, and listen to their concerns. Blending individuals into a cohesive team and giving them the tools they need to succeed allows leaders to step aside and let the team do the work. There is no need to monitor every step…good leaders foster capable, effective, problem-solving teams.

• Likeability
The best leaders are likeable. People look up to and admire them. There is a certain charisma that draws like a magnet – even in the toughest of times.

Where do the skills of good managers overlap with the skills of good leaders? The best managers, like leaders, understand people and are good communicators. They operate with integrity and are able to pull individuals together into strong teams. They administer and guide both people and resources but, unlike leaders, are more obeyed than followed. With direct authority over their team, their responsibility is to deliver on the organization’s operational goals.

We agree that the the best management training programs can develop good managers. Programs can teach communication skills, how to earn trust, and effective team building. But the leadership qualities of vision and the ability to inspire are more difficult to develop. These are more often innate qualities that take years of experience to hone.

Bottom line? Leaders and managers complement one another and successful organizations need both.