Many people think that the term “manager” and the term “leader” are synonymous; actually, they are not.

Managers let people work for them and they do the minimum that needs to be done in return for payment. Managers give instructions, and they expect that those instructions to be followed, so they have a micromanagement style to ensure that their instructions are being followed. It is a top down system that has very little input from their subordinates. On the other hand, leaders are more subtle, and they inspire not coerce.  Leaders get input and feedback. Leaders value the contributions of the people around them and cultivate an environment of mutual respect.

A leader can see the big picture, but a manager concentrates on the task at hand. Therefore, a good leader is not necessarily a good manager, they recognize this, so they get other skilled people to carry out the management tasks for them.  A Leader has a clear vision and motivate the team to act on that vision.  They let the team get on with the job and trust that each team member will do a good job. As President Eisenhower said: “Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it.” Generally, you as a leader will do the thinking and delegate the doing to others.

However, to be a leader and to build up a team to work with, you need a different set of skills. This also may require a change of mindset. You need to learn how to utilize the skills of other people and to stop thinking about what you can do yourself. You, also, need to learn how to plan ahead to be able to anticipate potential problems.

The good news is this course from LinCademy, and as its name states, has everything you need to have the leadership style and to build up the leadership skills that will help you achieve the success you want.