Leader Or Boss?
Leader or Boss?
The concepts of boss and leader often get thrown into one.
However there are pronounced differences between the two. Although both include being responsible for a group of employees, a boss often uses their position as a point of power, taking advantage of their employees through micromanaging and excessive task delegation. On the other hand, a leader uses their position to empower their employees, helping them to flourish and grow within the business.
I have been fortunate enough to work with some great leaders over the years. I have also faced the challenges of some difficult bosses. I am sure many of you have had the same experience.
The best leader I worked with was the one who quickly told me that I had been given a role as I was the best person for it, so stop telling him what I was doing and just do it! If there was a problem he would let me know. He only had to tell me twice in nearly ten years, that we had a challenge.
Remember, as a leader, having put your team in place then it is important to just guide and support them in getting on with executing the plan. If you can’t do that then they are probably not the right people! It is also all about perspective, as my worst boss, was also my best boss, as he was the one who made me make the decision to start my own business! So if you want to know if you are a leader or a boss, ask yourself some questions, do you ask or tell people to do things? Do they understand why something is being done and why it is them that is doing it? Do you support or supress them, motivate or manage, inspire or inhibit your team?
Here at Powering Your Potential, we understand the importance of leadership within a business, and working with your employees as opposed to against them. Be the leader that your employees look up to and respect, not the boos they fear!
You will go further, faster, as both a business and an individual when you take people with you.
Action:
Look back at some of your leadership decisions, and think about how they were received by the people who were working under you. Consider why they might have felt the way they did.
