8 Differences Between A Leader And A Boss

From a semantic standpoint, there are few differences between a leader and a boss... many people see them as the person to whom they report and from whom they get their paycheck. From a managerial standpoint, a leader stands in stark contrast to, and head and shoulders above, a mere boss. Once you've been in the presence of a great leader you will realize what you've been missing. You will also discover that you cannot go back to working for a boss.

The following list of 8 characteristics demonstrate the stark differences between leaders and bosses regarding personality, character, motivations and expectations. This is not an all-inclusive list but it should give you a good idea of how these two types of managers think, act and respond in a professional environment.

1. Leaders are inspirational. Bosses are dispiriting.

We all know work always has its high and low points, no matter how much we love our jobs. When you're in a trough it's important to have a manager who can pick you up and keep you going. True leaders understand how important this is to their team and its performance. Whether you need an expert opinion or just an enthusiastic cheerleader to support and buoy your efforts, leaders are there when you need them. Bosses, on the other hand, have a tendency to turn a peak into a trough, whether they realize it or not.

2. Leaders take the bullet. Bosses pull the trigger.

When things go right, it's easy to find friends and supporters. When things go wrong, however, that's when a person's true character surfaces. Real leaders are not afraid to take blame for their team's mishaps and don't point fingers, especially in the direction of their own subordinates. This is usually the only time you'll hear a leader use an "I" or "me" term, as in "I am committed to improving my team's performance." Bosses have no trouble blaming others, including their own team, when they encounter adverse circumstances, and will let selfishness and self-preservation override the instinct to do the right thing.

3. Leaders believe in leading by example. Bosses believe in "do as I say, not as I do."

I have always maintained that leaders will never ask their subordinates to do anything that they a) aren't willing to do themselves, or b) haven't already done at some point in their careers. The best types of leaders will get in the trenches with their teams and be very self-aware of how their actions will be perceived. Bosses focus more on the dictatorial facets of management and rarely get their hands dirty for their teams. They focus less on fairness and more on maintaining a parent/child relationship with their subordinates.

4. Leaders coach and mentor. Bosses dictate.

Leaders use experiences as coaching and mentoring moments with their teams, providing real-world examples of situations they've encountered. They can also accurately predict outcomes, which only strengthens their position as a source of knowledge and wisdom. Bosses tend to keep their teams in the dark and tell them what they need to do, when they need to do it, and how it must be done. Learning experiences are few and far between.

Once you've been in the presence of a great leader you will realize what you've been missing. You will also discover that you cannot go back to working for a boss.

5. Leaders seek loyalty. Bosses seek obedience.

Loyalty does not come easy. It requires the ability to simultaneously perform at a high standard, make an impact in an organization and gain respect of subordinates and peers. Loyalty is earned, not purchased or imposed, and leaders know this. Bosses, on the other hand, do not have the ability to earn loyalty and resort to using their power and position to require obedience from their teams. Under this philosophy, teammates will oftentimes work against each other to curry favor with their boss which leads to mistrust and in-fighting.

6. Leaders share the credit. Bosses take the credit.

A rising tide lifts all boats. If you've ever been on a team where your manager uses a lot of "we" statements like "I'm very proud of we've accomplished" and makes sure everyone knows who is on their team, you report to a true leader. Bosses like to use "I" and "me" terms to describe team accomplishments and avoid using the names of team members in order to grab the glory. If people describe you as "one of Sally's team" or don't realize who your manager is, you work for a boss.

7. Leaders energize their teams. Bosses suck energy out of everyone.

We've all experienced this phenomenon in our professional lives. There are some people that just have a natural ability to pump you up and help you get your second wind, seemingly creating something out of nothing. If leaders are like a charging station, bosses are more like an energy vampire, sucking the life and the fun out of any situation. If you can feel a room deflate when your manager enters it, you work for a boss.

8. Leaders focus on the future. Bosses dwell in the past.

It's important to understand that the past is over, especially in business. Lessons are learned, data is collected and analyzed, new initiatives are developed and the next phases are executed upon. Leaders take the best elements of past experiences―knowledge, context and experience―and apply them to future events. Bosses tend to dwell on past events and performances because they often do not have the talent or creativity to understand how to shape the future. They can also use the past as a weapon, using revisionism to isolate certain points in time and comparing their team's performance against an unfair standard. This tends to foster resentment and resignation in a team, especially when they realize they cannot live up to their bosses' expectations.

Character, honesty, assertiveness, humility, integrity... these are all qualities that true leaders possess and practice. Challenges always exist and expectations always rise but it is the true leader who knows how to meet those challenges and expectations while still maintaining a high-quality environment in the workplace.

What other characteristics differentiate a leader from a boss?

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David is the founder of Jacob Street Consulting, a professional services firm that specializes in Product Marketing, Marketing Communications, Product Management and Business Strategy for small/medium organizations and federal/state/local government technology sectors