1/30/2016 The Difference Between Managers and Leaders | Ilya Pozin | LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/201305291507155799319thedifferencebetweenmanagersandleaders 1/24

Keys to Email Marketing  6 steps on creating effective email campaigns. Learn more.

The Difference Between Managers and LeadersMay 29, 2013 676,453 views 5,251 Likes 2,121 Comments

It's time to face the music as a manager: You don’t always have all of the right

answers. Your “it’s my way or the highway” approach to management isn’t going

to encourage anyone to help you in your problem solving endeavors.

Managers and leaders are often referred to synonymously, but only leaders allow

their employees to solve problems with their own insight. The truth of the matter

Ilya PozinFounder of Pluto TV Follow

The Difference BetweenManagers and LeadersIlya Pozin

German Forest Ranger FindsThat Trees Have SocialNetworks, Toowww.nytimes.com

Students Say Racial HostilitiesSimmered at Historic BostonLatin Schoolwww.nytimes.com

Why Larry Page Wants To GiveHis Money To Elon MuskMark Stevens

Pulse Publish a post

Home Profile My Network Jobs Interests Business Services Go to Lynda.com

Advanced 1

733

Search for people, jobs, companies, and more...

1/30/2016 The Difference Between Managers and Leaders | Ilya Pozin | LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/201305291507155799319thedifferencebetweenmanagersandleaders 2/24

is this: Every leader may not be a manager, but every manager should be a leader.

It’s easy to see that leadership and management aren’t the same thing, but a

manager who lacks effective leadership traits will drive a business into the ground

faster than you can count to 10.

Change doesn’t happen overnight when it comes to transforming managers into

leaders. It takes time and energy to improve the way you manage and utilize more

leadership characteristics on a daily basis.

Here are some tips to help you make the necessary improvements:

1. Managers give answers, leaders ask questions. There’s nothing certain

to turn your employees against you faster than shouting orders at them. Why not

spare yourself the impending resentment and simply ask your employees this:

“What would you do?” or “What do you think of this idea?” Allowing people to

participate in the decisionmaking process will not only transform what could

have been an order into something more easily swallowedit also inspires

creativity, motivation, and autonomy.

2. Managers criticize mistakes, leaders call attention to mistakes

indirectly. It may seem more efficient to point out your employees’ mistakes

directly, but this will only leave them feeling embarrassed and frustrated. You

should really be giving them the chance to learn and grow from through your

critiques. Instead, give your employees the chance to address their mistakes.

For example, say a project was sent to a client and you receive back a disgruntled

message. Calmly ask your employee about the clients concern and whether they

feel what was provided was on par. This will give them a chance to provide their

input, while also improving for the future.

3. Managers forget to praise, leaders reward even the smallest

improvement. Praise pays off when it comes to increasing the overall success of

your company. Finding time to recognize your employees for even the smallest

accomplishment will only increase their interest in what they do. If you’re

interested in ensuring your employees take pride in all that they do, regular

feedback and recognition is certain to do the trick. Everyone wants to be

genuinely appreciated for their efforts.

4. Managers focus on the bad, leaders emphasize the good. This really

comes down to seeing the cup half empty or half full. If you’re only willing to

1/30/2016 The Difference Between Managers and Leaders | Ilya Pozin | LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/201305291507155799319thedifferencebetweenmanagersandleaders 3/24

Report this

Written byIlya Pozin

2,121 comments

point out the flaws of a project or an employee, you’re not giving them much

interest in learning or improving. Instead, create a sandwich effect. Start with

some form of praise, follow with the criticism, and end with praise.

5. Managers want credit, leaders credit their teams. Managers who lack

leadership abilities are always first to take credit. But effective leaders understand

the importance of crediting their teams for the big wins. This pays off in the long

run for creative a workplace with a more positive company culture and employees

who are driven toward more successes as a team.

Management shouldn’t be approach through force, but rather through influence.

Put these techniques in place to improve the way your employees perform.

What do you think? Do you ask questions instead of giving answers?

About Ilya Pozin:

Founder of Ciplex. Columnist for Inc, Forbes & LinkedIn. Gadget lover, investor,

mentor, husband, father, and '30 Under 30' entrepreneur. Follow Ilya below to

stay uptodate with his articles and updates!

Featured In Leadership & Management

Follow

Like Comment 5,251 likes

Catherine Guidry PilieAward Winning 30 year Salon Operations Management Retail SalesProfessional

Leadership comes from the heart. It is something that can only besuccessfully practiced with a true desire to see others grow and excel. Towatch someone transform , to blossom and completely change the waythey live, work and view life is an incredible success. If you have the gift tolead others to a place they've never been, nor ever aspired to, that is heresult of true leadership . To inspire is to lead. To truly motivate is to lead.Are you up to that challenge?

Like(5) Reply(2) July 10, 2013

Add your comment

Popular

1/30/2016 The Difference Between Managers and Leaders | Ilya Pozin | LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/201305291507155799319thedifferencebetweenmanagersandleaders 4/24

German Forest Ranger Finds That Trees HaveSocial Networks, TooJan 30, 2016 679 Likes 47 Comments

Peter Wohlleben, a career ranger, has topped bestseller lists with “The Hidden

Life of Trees,” describing trees as social beings that communicate on the “Wood

Wide Web.”

Tanvir Hussain, Zachary Willis, Gloria Merino, +2

Andrea FerrazoliIntegrationsmittlerin

Perfect, Catherine!

Like March 25, 2014

Peters DanielManager / Finance Auditor at KINGSGATE SOLUTION &SERVICE NIG. LTD

great

Like(1) November 20, 2013

Daniel Balev / Даниел Балев / ड湯ै䴠नयल बलवे

Show More

Published by www.nytimes.com

Show full article

1/30/2016 The Difference Between Managers and Leaders | Ilya Pozin | LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/201305291507155799319thedifferencebetweenmanagersandleaders 5/24

Featured In Editor's Picks, Green Business, Technology, What Inspires Me, Social Media

1/30/2016 The Difference Between Managers and Leaders | Ilya Pozin | LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/201305291507155799319thedifferencebetweenmanagersandleaders 6/24

1/30/2016 The Difference Between Managers and Leaders | Ilya Pozin | LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/201305291507155799319thedifferencebetweenmanagersandleaders 7/24

1/30/2016 The Difference Between Managers and Leaders | Ilya Pozin | LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/201305291507155799319thedifferencebetweenmanagersandleaders 8/24

1/30/2016 The Difference Between Managers and Leaders | Ilya Pozin | LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/201305291507155799319thedifferencebetweenmanagersandleaders 9/24

1/30/2016 The Difference Between Managers and Leaders | Ilya Pozin | LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/201305291507155799319thedifferencebetweenmanagersandleaders 10/24

1/30/2016 The Difference Between Managers and Leaders | Ilya Pozin | LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/201305291507155799319thedifferencebetweenmanagersandleaders 11/24

1/30/2016 The Difference Between Managers and Leaders | Ilya Pozin | LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/201305291507155799319thedifferencebetweenmanagersandleaders 12/24

1/30/2016 The Difference Between Managers and Leaders | Ilya Pozin | LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/201305291507155799319thedifferencebetweenmanagersandleaders 13/24

1/30/2016 The Difference Between Managers and Leaders | Ilya Pozin | LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/201305291507155799319thedifferencebetweenmanagersandleaders 14/24

1/30/2016 The Difference Between Managers and Leaders | Ilya Pozin | LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/201305291507155799319thedifferencebetweenmanagersandleaders 15/24

1/30/2016 The Difference Between Managers and Leaders | Ilya Pozin | LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/201305291507155799319thedifferencebetweenmanagersandleaders 16/24

1/30/2016 The Difference Between Managers and Leaders | Ilya Pozin | LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/201305291507155799319thedifferencebetweenmanagersandleaders 17/24

1/30/2016 The Difference Between Managers and Leaders | Ilya Pozin | LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/201305291507155799319thedifferencebetweenmanagersandleaders 18/24

1/30/2016 The Difference Between Managers and Leaders | Ilya Pozin | LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/201305291507155799319thedifferencebetweenmanagersandleaders 19/24

1/30/2016 The Difference Between Managers and Leaders | Ilya Pozin | LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/201305291507155799319thedifferencebetweenmanagersandleaders 20/24

1/30/2016 The Difference Between Managers and Leaders | Ilya Pozin | LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/201305291507155799319thedifferencebetweenmanagersandleaders 21/24

1/30/2016 The Difference Between Managers and Leaders | Ilya Pozin | LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/201305291507155799319thedifferencebetweenmanagersandleaders 22/24

1/30/2016 The Difference Between Managers and Leaders | Ilya Pozin | LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/201305291507155799319thedifferencebetweenmanagersandleaders 23/24

1/30/2016 The Difference Between Managers and Leaders | Ilya Pozin | LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/201305291507155799319thedifferencebetweenmanagersandleaders 24/24