ARE YOU A LEADER OR A MANAGER? What's your trait?

Do not get surprised by reading the topic of this article.

I am writing this cause I am finding a lot many top level people resisting path breaking ideas which is challenging the ongoing corporate culture, for the betterment of their team and company,and I do not stand to sell some financial product and earn, I envisage to help people achieve their desired future.

Here’s where I find some difference in the thought process between Managers and Leaders-not to throw any debate on which is better-as I feel both has it’s inevitable and important place in the corporate place, but this differentiation is not clearly talked about and understood by many and both are somewhere being misunderstood and interchanged even in so-called top-notch company's.

What I have found from internet and I also somewhat relate as some differentiator is as follows, put up in a simple manner-

	L E A D E R s			M A N A G E R s
Leaders win Followers				Managers have employees.
Leaders create change				Managers react to change.
Leaders implement ideas				Managers have good ideas.
Leaders persuade			VS	Managers communicate.
Leaders create teams				Managers direct groups.
Leaders make heroes of everyone around them				Managers try to be heroes.
Leaders take responsibility				Managers take credit.
Leaders create shared focus				Managers are focused.

I have gone thru’ few article’s written on the same by Pramila Mathew and I hereby attribute and list the links for your knowledge.(to read her article’s on the topic, click here - http://bit.ly/DiffBtwnManagersnLeaders-PramilaView    and     http://bit.ly/ExemplificationofLeadership-NelsonMendela ) .

I also do not want to throw up a debate on who is better or why leaders and why managers- cause as I said I feel both are equivalently needed in every company.

I am here taking up this topic because I am finding this misunderstanding at two levels

1-      Entreprenuer or Recruiter or Employer

2-      Recruitee or Employee

The problem arises in a company when the interchange in not understood and that is when the company starts either falling down or being stagnant. The need is already very strong of a Visionary and a Implementator in every organization be it small or large.Even if it is a sole proprietorship, the Proprietor comes with a vision and the managers and people in the team will work on the same lines.Similar is the need in a company.

Remember Steve Jobs?, who said “we are not about making boxes. We believe people with passion can change the world for better and that’s what we do and we have opportunity to work with people like that“ that’s the core vision the team members are still breathing with. Am I right? ( for full inspiring rebranding video of Steve Jobs internal meeting in 1997 click here- http://bit.ly/SteveJobsAppleVisionRebranding1997 )

The other problem also arises when the company understandably knows this and so recruits people at special positions and are expected to take Leadership positions in respective fields, but they end up being managers.

Like if a cutting edge technology is introduced to a R & D department Leader the person starts from thinking on company philosophy, company structure and what his immediate boss or company staff will think, which ideally should not be the case and I have seen lot of such technology being used by MNCs and the Indian company’s are still thinking.Lot of best minds of India are working for Large MNCs, Guess why?If we as Indians really want to practicse MAKE IN INDIA, start believing and taking certain risks and breaking rules.Think really out of the box.

Another example is, I am sharing idea of Employee Financial Well-Being programme ( For a Article on the same click here - http://bit.ly/FinancialWellnessProgramme ) and we have already done this in top-notch company’s, but when I introduce saying we are here to share employee's personal financial related problems to top-notch leaders in the industry, still there is some traditional thought process about accepting that this is actually a Path-Breaking activity for their employee’s and team members and that this is going to actually add value in their team members life, by being aware and taking Life Financial Decisions in an aware manner. Being Aware is first step to Freedom and are we all really Breathing Freedom?

Personal financial issues of employee’s and teams are not properly addressed, and at most what company’s do is tie up with some insurance company or a tax consultant without actually knowing what is the employees financial problem. Please understand any individuals well-being in right sense and manner which actually hits,understands and resolves their problems and needs will up productivity of any company's greatest asset by a lot.

Ask yourself, is tax saving and tax filing only a issue when it comes to your finances, so why restrict your team to only limited exposure. If you can give your team/employee’s an exposure to professional unbiased advisors who will ask and understand you and your employee’s what is their need and problem with a wholesome approach, will that not be a value add for your team?Has anyone asked you or your team, what is your need and what does Financial Freedom mean ?

So what's your trait, a Manager or a Leader ?? 

Do you really want your company to be best sought after place to work with by the biggest asset of any company-employee's?Think different and Pull the team and the company to newer highs.