Difference Between Managers and Leaders (4)

The goal of a manager is to maximise the output of the organization via administrative implementation. Managers therefore carry the following functions:

• organization
• planning
• staffing
• directing
• controlling

Leadership is actually just a component of the directing function. This leads to the fact that a leader is not always required in (part of) the organization.
A leader is someone who people naturally follow through their own choice, whereas a manager must be obeyed. A manager may only have obtained his position of authority through time and loyalty given to the company, not as a result of his leadership qualities. A leader may have no organisational skills, but his vision unites people behind him.

Management usually consists of people who are experienced in their field, and who have worked their way up the company. A manager knows how each layer of the system works and may also possess a good technical knowledge. A leader can be a new arrival to a company who has bold, fresh, new ideas but might not have experience or wisdom.