“People ask the difference between a leader and a boss. The leader leads, and the boss drives.”
– Theodore Roosevelt
Not sure if you are a boss or a leader? Here are a few I Power Seeds to offer insight.
From the article “Leader vs Boss – The 6 Major Differences”
Difference #1: The focus
A boss the end objective is profit
A leader is focused on changing people and the organization
Difference #2: The driving force
The boss, the motivation stems from the focus on standards
The leader is driven by the values they hold dear
Difference #3: The approach to work and objectives
A boss approaches work in an administrative fashion
A leader approaches the work through innovation and collaboration
Difference #4: The source of authority
The boss gets his or her authority from the position
The leader receives his or her authority from an internal place
Difference #5: The way to communicate and delegate
A boss uses communication as a way to delegate tasks and responsibilities among his or her subordinates
A leader uses communication that is more participatory, collaborative, and provides positive feedback
Difference #6: The level of accountability
A boss delegates responsibility and therefore, places accountability on the shoulders of the person performing the specific tasks and the emphasis is on having someone accountable for the failure, not so much the understanding of what went wrong
A leader the full accountability is on the leader’s shoulders – the ethos of learning from mistakes is at the heart of the leader’s strategy.
I found this infographic that I really liked.
From Volaris
Couple of articles that are helpful:
Management and Leadership Like a Bike?
Leadership is more Than Leading – Show You Care
Difference Between Boss and Leader from Villanova University
