Laugh Loud and Often

Managers to Leaders: A Continuum of Behaviors

While working at a Fortune 100 company, I took a professional development course that has helped me both personally and professionally. One of the many useful tools from that course is the following list of behavioral traits that illustrates the difference between managers and leaders.

Managers to Leaders: A Continuum of Behaviors
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Managers ... Leaders
Tactical ... Strategic
Do things right ... Do the right thing
Are interested in efficiency ... Are interested in effectiveness
Administer ... Innovate
Maintain ... Develop
Focus on systems and structure ... Focus on people
Rely on control ... Rely on trust
Organize and staff ... Align people with a direction
Emphasize tactics, structure, and systems ... Emphasize philosophy, core values, and shared goals
Have a short-term view ... Have a long term view
Ask how and when ... Ask what and why
Accept the status quo ... Challenge the status quo
Focus on the present ... Focus on the future
Have their eyes on the bottom line ... Have their eyes on the horizon
Develop detailed steps and timetables ... Develop visions and strategies
Seek predictability and order ... Seek change
Avoid risks ... Take risks
Motivate people to comply with standards ... Inspire people to change
Use position-to-position (superior-to-subordinate) influence ... Use person-to person influence
Require others to comply ... Inspire others to follow
Operate within organizational rules, regulations, policies and procedures ... Operate outside of organizational rules, regulations, policies and procedures
Are given a position ... Take initiative to lead