Difference between Leader and Manager

Difference between Leader and Manager

In order to initiate a discussion on the topic of difference between the role of managers and leader, I would now throw some light upon my personal findings and results of my own observations, which i have received through various sources. My appointment as a compliance officer here at ECG is a matter of great pride for me, and during my stay here, I would like achieve all the roles assigned to me in the nest way possible. In order to allow you all to see eye to eye with me, I would share my personal views with you all and would also highlight the factors that make a great leader or an outstanding manager.

Starting with leaders, it can be said that leader is an individual, with the capability of convincing others for accomplishing tasks, which are beneficial for the team or organization. This implies that a leader can convince individuals to think in terms of overall benefit and thus act in ways that would be good for all, not for a any particular person. Thus, the leader is the decision maker of the team and needs to have a very effective and influential approach, as changing the minds of people and making them do things according to one's own will is not an easy task. Leaders are also characterized by the proficiency in their skills and the ability to lead from the front, thus staying a step ahead of the others instead of lagging behind.

The ability to stay ahead permits the leader to have confidence as well as trust of his superiors and the subordinates at the same time, and this confidence is further strengthened by their ability to perform well and put things together quickly and effectively. The major quality of a great leader is that he knows about the temperament and ability of different individuals and deals with them accordingly, thus making the most of each individual's abilities. This is the major factor that distinguishes a leader from average individuals, and allows people to be dealt with in accordance with their beliefs, values, attitudes and ethics.

An old saying goes that 'leaders are born, not made'. However, like all the other professions and roles, leaders too can polish and further highlight their skills and abilities by emulating on the work of previous leaders. Getting an idea about the working, methodology and thinking of the previous leaders defiantly assists the new and emerging leaders in determining and shaping their path. It is the same observation and study that assists the leaders in getting an understanding about the ways to motivate others and the methods of dealing with people of different behavior and attitudes. As mentioned earlier, dealing with variety of individuals is not easy by any means and thus the specialized skills are further furnished by the gradual development and grooming.

It is eminent to mention that leaders have an additional ability of being able to join people together to make ...