At some point in your professional life, you might need to face the challenge of being the leader of a team. If you have this privilege, you need to focus on being a leader, not a boss.
But what is the main difference?
Also, a boss seeks to be in control and be the one who gives orders.
On the other hand, a leader focuses on being an example of what he wants others to be like by providing guidance and direction without dictating every decision independently.
Leaders have many qualities that make them different from a boss. Here we are listing a few.
Leaders delegate
Leaders delegate and trust their employees. Bosses, on the other hand, micromanage their employees, be self-absorbed in themselves. They may be good with people but have no trouble taking credit for others’ work or not recognizing the accomplishments of those around them.
It is straightforward to be a boss if you are just interested in managing.
Moreover, a boss may assign a task but leave it up to someone else to figure out how they want that job done. A leader delegates specific instructions so everyone is on the same page about what has been assigned, they focus on solving problems.
Leaders have excellent Communication.
Being a boss is about communicating what you need and when you need it. Being a leader is about sharing with your collaborators what they need and how you can help them to help them achieve their objectives.
As supervisors, they have firm boundaries, be clear about their needs, and don’t let anyone take advantage of your time or space.Â
On the other hand, Leaders directly communicate with people who work for them to be clear about what he expects from them.
Accountability makes them shine
Leaders have accountability; if they make a mistake, they own it and try to do better the next time. Bosses hand off responsibility by blaming others for their mistakes or not taking any at all.
Bosses make excuses and blame people outside of themselves for what’s not working in their department.
Even when being their superior they have strong relationships with everyone on a team;
Bosses are not role models
Leaders are role models to teams.
Good leaders are confident in themselves and their work, even if things don’t always go as planned.
They share information with everyone on a team to create an open environment of dialogue where no one feels left out or has any unanswered questions about what’s going on around them.
Leaders manage frustration
Bosses get frustrated when things don’t go their way.
They are not afraid to call themselves out for what’s not working in their departments or get help
Leaders are patient and in control of their emotions, they can regain control of their feelings and communicate.
Leaders have mental fortitude
A true leader has the quality to control their thoughts
Other leadership qualities:
- Confidence
- Strong relationships with everyone on a team
- They are intelligent and articulate but humble at the same time.
- They encourage others to do the bes they can, always.