Know the difference between Leader and Boss has become very important if you want to make the best decisions to grow your business today.
Leader and Chief are not interchangeable terms. These are not two words to define the same thing.
The truth is, there are some leaders who are simply that, leaders. People who have reached an important position at the top of the corporate pyramid, who have a nice office and maybe even an assigned parking space.
A boss has the power to make decisions that influence the performance of the business and the work of others. He controls how the money is spent and that everything runs smoothly exactly as he wants.
Be a leader However, this is not the case.
Of course, the leader also makes decisions, has a position of importance and command, and is responsible for managing the company.
But it is the way of thinking and acting that changes.
One of the key factors to the success of your company it is the quality of leadership you demonstrate to your collaborators. That of the leader is the figure of tomorrow, while that of the boss of yesterday.
So, the real question is: What turns a boss into a leader?
What is the difference between Leader and Boss?
To understand that what is leadership it must be made clear that there is a big distinction between being a boss and being a leader. One manages the company and staff in a cool manner, the other inspires innovation.
Every team or every company can have a leader, but what is needed today is the leader. A person who thinks creatively and in line with changes in the market and the world of work.
Even though you might find some similarities between these two figures, in reality the difference is huge. Leaders are truly inspiring and effective at leading people. And this is the key to truly achieving your results today.
Who do you recognize yourself in?
The figure of the Chief
When we hear about a “Chief” or a “Boss” the concept of authority comes to mind. These terms carry with them negative feelings.
For us, the boss is the one who has the power and who gives orders that must be performed. He instructs others on what to do because he is the one who makes the decisions.
The leader is the one complained about within a group or organization. This is because it is associated with little or no empathetic behavior, which does not care about others but only about himself.
The boss dictates the rules without thinking about the needs of his collaborators, manages the company by making ends meet without taking into consideration the opinions of others.
5 essential qualities to be a Leader
There is a lot of talk about leadership today. And do you know why? Because times have changed and the leader is the one who is followed and appreciated today.
The leader has the same practical responsibilities as the boss. What makes the big difference is the way he manages and organizes the company and the group of people.
The leader supports its employeestakes into consideration everyone’s ideas and abilities. He is able to lead collaborators towards achieving the final goal, without giving orders but motivating people.
The leader always leads by exampleeven when he makes a mistake because it is the way of dealing with the mistake that makes the difference.
If you feel more like a boss, the good news is you can learn to be a leader.
Two main things are enough to achieve this.
The first is that you really want to change yours mindset to be a leader and grow your business.
The second is to know the leadership characteristics and apply them in a concrete way.
Now let’s see together the qualities that make the difference between leaders and bosses. Cultivate these skills to have a positive impact on people and your company.
1. Leaders are empathetic
The true Leader he leaves the walls of his office and takes an interest in what his collaborators are doing. Not because of an excessive control freak, but because make time for people and what they are doing.
Knowing how your employees feel while working also allows you to have insight into how work is going and understand where any problems arise.
Lack of communication and interaction in the office leads to discontent. Your collaborators they are human beings and to work well they must feel good.
This aspect was not taken into consideration in the past, but now things are different. The most valid resources choose workplaces where they feel valued and where they have the opportunity to grow.
It’s in their interest to do a great job, but they want to be empowered to do so.
If people feel that you are truly open to them, they will feel much less stressed and will be able to bring many more ideas into the work.
All of this helps you make your work environment more productive.
2. Leaders say “we”
To be a leader practice developing a team mentality.
If you only think about yourself and always put yourself at the center of the conversation, the people around you will really struggle to feel part of the project.
You can’t run a business alone, if that were the case you wouldn’t have needed to hire other resources.
Therefore, if you have a team you must also know how to manage it. Make each of the group members feel like an indispensable part of reaching the final goal together.
You define the goal and then you have to find the way to get there together. You have to exploit the qualities of people to work with you and put them in synergy with each other to achieve the overall result and the growth of each one.
A “we” mentality it changes the very way of working. Each person within the office will have the objective of collaborating with others to achieve the common goal. Team spirit fuels the sharing of knowledge and individual skills. This exponentially increases the knowledge shared at team level.
This is an essential characteristic in today’s world and in perspective of tomorrow’s.
3. Leaders invest in people
The boss uses resources to get what he wants. This is still a mentality me firstor centered on the self. Toxic behavior within any group.
Focus on the needs of your team members and think about how you can help people do their jobs better. A true leader wants to see his resources grow because, consequently, they will use their knowledge to achieve company objectives.
You need to know people’s shortcomings and help them fill those gaps.
This will allow you to earn the respect of your team who will want to work harder and harder so as not to disappoint you. Additionally, you will power a positive attitude in the work environment.
Without stress you work better, more effectively and achieve more results.
4. Leaders reward collaborators
Leaders know that their collaborators’ victories are victories too.
In fact, the boss tends to take credit for everything, while the leader also relies on the ideas of his collaborators and recognizes its value.
Consult with the people who work with you on the best path to take to achieve the goal and underline that it is a shared result.
Give rewards for successes achieved because they will be an incentive to do even better every time. Reward people’s efforts, even if they don’t immediately achieve the excellent results you hoped for. Help them to find motivation in work and they will always face it with energy and dedication.
Let your people know when they’re doing well so they know you’re aware and that their work is appreciated. The same goes for when things don’t go your way: look for the reasons and give the necessary help to the resources who need it.
5. Leaders know how to delegate
Delegation is a demonstration of trust and it is on this that every type of relationship is based.
If you don’t trust the people who work with you there can be two reasons. Either they are not the right people, or you have problems relying on others.
Either way you have a problem. If you don’t trust those people that’s the case find people you trust. If you never trust anyone you have to find a way to trust the right people.
How can you do it?
If you recognize that people have value and skills, start assigning them tasks.
They probably won’t do everything exactly as you would have done, but that doesn’t mean their way is wrong. There are different ways to solve a problem and different paths to get to the goal, evaluate the result.
If you then realize that they could have used a shortcut but didn’t, tell them, but only at the end. It will be a lesson for them for next time. In the meantime, you will have confirmation of the value of your resource that has reached the goal.
The difference between leader and boss plays out on many fronts and can be seen in various things. It’s a much more complex topic than it might seem.
Being a true leader determines the quality of your work and the success of your company, certainly today and increasingly in the future.
If you want more informationdownload my la guide How to be a true Leader where you will find everything you need to become the leader of your company.
Learning to be a leader is an adventure
This list of characteristics a leader must have makes it clear what they are the direction the world of work is taking.
A leader is empathetic, inclusive, generous and hardworking for the good of their team. It creates an atmosphere of collaboration and respect and that’s what the best minds are looking for.
Whether you are new to the business environment or an experienced entrepreneur, these Leadership characteristics will help you take a leap forward.
If you excel as a leader you will have a positive impact on the people around you and, together, you will drive the business to great results.