As the owner of your business, what role do you play?
It’s a bit of a trick question - just about all business owners play multiple roles in their business. And I often see them get into trouble when they have a hard time switching among those roles.
One of the biggest places I see people get stuck is handling the roles of manager and leader.
What is the difference between a leader and a manager?
A manager is…
A manager is someone who delegates and oversees duties.
Great managers use clear and effective communication to detail responsibilities that need to be accomplished.
Think of them like the traffic cop at a busy rush hour intersection.
Their role is to keep things moving efficiently so that everything (and everyone) gets to where they need to be. Over and over again.
To make sure results are consistent, managers are able to create detailed systems or directions for employees to follow. When employees are at their best, they carry out these systems effectively and produce the ideal result.
A manager’s strengths are implementation and production. They are able to replicate the ideal results over and over to keep a business on track to succeed.
Most managers are concerned with meeting their quota, accomplishing daily tasks, and maintaining operations. They aren’t concerned with working towards the bigger picture. To use the traffic cop example again, the manager is thinking of keeping the traffic moving. The leader is looking at how to layout the streets.
A leader is…
A leader is someone who has entrepreneurial vision and spirit.
This is a person who uses their knowledge to come up with bigger and better ideas. Because of this it is important for a good leader to motivate, communicate, and delegate.
They are idea people. Leaders want to innovate and create new products and systems.
Their strength is their passion to be creative. It leads them to strive for big, ambitious goals beyond their operational benchmarks.
When you focus too much on the role of leader, you can get distracted and stray from the systems that are keeping your business successful and functional.
Do you know your dominant style? We can help you strike the perfect balance for your business!
Book a free 1-hour Breakthrough Consultation with us.
Which is better?
One is not better than the other.
In fact, you need to be both of these roles in your business.
The leader in us concentrates on innovation and long-term goals.
They will ensure the business is growing. If we don’t let the leader take control, our business would get stuck in the day-to-day operations and never reach a level of success beyond where it is now. This is a good mindset to adopt at the beginning of each month, quarter, and year to plot a course for your business.
At the beginning of the period, the leader can determine goals to work toward. At the end, the leader can check in to see what was accomplished and what should carry-over into the next cycle.
This is also the persona that will fuel the passion in your work. It is the side that is still excited by the infinite possibilities and wants to chase them.
Our manager persona comes out when we need to operate smoothly.
The manager in us must take control when the leader’s vision needs to be translated into concrete steps and executed correctly and efficiently. We adopt the manager persona when we want to perfect our operations and continue to provide excellent service and care to our customers. This is the voice of reason that keeps our business on track to success.
As the owner, you need to strike a balance between the two roles. Too much leader, and you have a disorganized mess that can’t get anything done. Too much manager, and your business is stuck running in circles (though very efficiently) and getting nowhere.
Do you know which is your dominant style?
It might surprise you. Most of us have a hard time accurately accessing our own style.
We can help you examine which persona is dominant and teach you the ideal balance between these mindsets unique to your business’s needs.
If you are having trouble knowing exactly where your business should be going or what you need to make your journey successful, we can help!
Book a free 1-hour Breakthrough Consultation with us.
