People working in IT industries are mostly acquainted with two words manager and leader when working under a project. Not only in IT industries even in most of other industries who works on any project have their leaders and managers for the project. Generally called as Project Leader and Project Manager. There is some difference in qualities, roles and responsibilities in between a leader and a manager. Lets discuss about the difference below.
1. Leader :
A leader is a person who leads a particular team and influences it’s team members to perform well and achieve the goal. Leaders follow transformational process as they develop vision and find a way forward to achieve the goal. So a leader always looks after a team. A leader exhibits strategic view, team management, open mind and promotes innovation. A leader creates circles of influence and lead by inspiring.
2. Manager :
A manager is a person who manages the organization or a project by planning, giving direction, maintaining coordination and control. Managers follow transactional process as they delegate tasks, meet objectives. So a manager oversees a team. A manager exhibits organizational skills, management skills, problem solving skills and conformity. A manager creates circles of power and lead by authority.
Difference between Leader and Manager :
| S.No. | LEADER | MANAGER |
|---|---|---|
| 01. | A leader is a person who leads a particular team and influences it’s team members to perform well and achieve the goal. | A manager is a person who manages the organization or a project by planning, giving direction, maintaining coordination and control. |
| 02. | Leaders process are transformational as they develop vision and find a way forward to achieve the goal. | Managers process are transactional as they delegate tasks, meet objectives. |
| 03. | So a leader always looks after a team. | So a manager oversees a team. |
| 04. | A leader exhibits strategic view, team management, open mind and promotes innovation. | A manager exhibits organizational skills, management skills, problem solving skills and conformity. |
| 05. | Leaders create circles of influence and lead by inspiring. | Managers create circles of power and lead by authority. |
| 06. | They mainly shape the culture and drive integrity. | They mainly enact the existing culture and maintain status quo. |
| 07. | Leader mainly sets direction to achieve a goal. | Managers mainly sets instructions to do a project. |
| 08. | A leader mainly facilitates the decisions. | A manager mostly makes decisions. |
| 09. | A leader promotes change and uses conflicts as an asset. | A manager reacts to change and avoids conflict. |
| 10. | A leader always says “We” where the subordinates are followers or team members. | A manager always says “I” where the subordinates are the employees. |
| 11. | A leader knows how it is done. | A manager shows how it is done. |
| 12. | They mainly focuses around relationship with objectives. | They mainly focuses around objectives. |
