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10
Manager and Leader Comparisons
By Dennis Sommer (www.dennissommer.com)
Today's manager is being replaced by someone with strong
leadership skills. To keep your current management position
or advance your career, you need to understand the differences
between the two and which areas you will need to work
on. Review this list of ten comparisons to see where you
fit today.
1. Direction
Managers supervise, control, and correct. Leaders strategize,
inspire, and motivate.
2.
Goals
Managers focus on short term goals, plodding through an
endless series of internal processes. Leaders think and
act like owners, recognizing the importance of long term
goals, vision and value added functions.
3.
Thinking Style
Managers are satisfied with incremental gains, being just
a little better than the competition. They judge success
solely by the bottom line. Leaders redefine their markets,
constantly searching for new knowledge from new places,
new markets, and new customers.
4.
Communication
Managers engage in a lot of one-way communication, giving
orders or having people report to them. Leaders encourage
free flowing interactive communication and are receptive
to feedback, both positive and negative.
5.
Perspective
Managers prefer specific, functional expertise. Leaders
see the interdependencies between functions and processes
and endorse a general management perspective.
6. Style
Managers define themselves by perpetual activity, generating
transactions, attending meetings, walking factory floors,
and so on. Leaders get things done, but also take time
to reflect and develop their sixth sense, because they
know a well seasoned sixth sense can be more valuable
than mounds of data when it comes to making good decisions.
7. Emotion
Managers are analytical and coolly detached. Leaders produce
emotional energy. The kind that inspires and motivates
people.
8. Faith
Managers are firm believers in Murphy's Law, so they constantly
monitor their employees. Leaders maintain a high level
of trust and commitment with their people.
9.
Openness
Managers need everything proven and take great pride in
their ability to say no to ideas that don't meet their
standards. Leaders embrace diversity and are highly receptive
to ideas and people who are different. They realize that
new, young, original, or off the wall ideas could evolve
to become the cutting edge solution needed.
10.
Feedback
Managers place conscious and unconscious limits on what
they are willing to say or listen to. Leaders recognize
that clear and honest communication is essential in today's
fast paced business world and are open to both positive
and negative feedback.
About The Author
- Dennis Sommer
Dennis Sommer
is the founder and CEO of Executive Business Advisers,
a management consulting firm specializing in business
growth, sales and profit improvement. www.executivebusinessadvisers.com
Dennis helps companies increase sales revenue, reduce
sales and marketing costs, improve marketing ROI, and
drive new business growth by improving and optimizing
their sales, marketing, company strategy and financial
health.
Dennis is a highly sought after business keynote and seminar
speaker www.dennissommer.com
and author of several highly popular sales, marketing,
leadership and professional development international
articles and books www.advisersecrets.com
.
Contact Dennis at 800-627-6512.
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