Let’s get something straight: Manager and leader are not synonymous terms.
Manage implies maintaining the status quo. It’s a manager’s job to ensure that things go as planned and that the team meets expectations. Leading, on the other hand, has an inherent forward progression. Leaders encourage change and take us someplace new.
Now those semantic differences don’t mean that being a manager and being a leader are mutually exclusive. But finding a great manager who is also leader, that’s like finding a flying unicorn. The trick to being a master of both skill sets is understanding the nuances that distinguish true leadership.
