Leading and managing are two very different things. Being a manager means something more than gaining authority or charge over former colleagues. With the title does come the power to affect company outcomes, but it also comes with something more: the power to shape the careers and personal growth of subordinates.

According to Steve Keating, a senior manager at the Toro Company, it is important not to assume that being made a manager automatically makes you a leader. Rather, being a manager means having the opportunity to lead. Enterprises need managers to guide processes, but the employeesthe peopleneed a leader. Keating believes that leaders need a mindset that emphasizes people, and the leaders job is to help the people in the organisation to be successful. According to Keating, If you dont care for people, you cant lead them (Hakim 2017 n.p.).

For someone who has been promoted over his peers, ground rules are essential. "Promotion doesnt mean the end of friendship but it does change it," according to Keating. If a peer has been promoted, rather than grouse and give in to envy, it is important to step back and look at the new manager; take a hard look at why the peer was promoted and what skill or characteristic made you a less appealing fit for the position (Hakim 2017).

What do you think are the most important qualities in a leader? In a manager? Are your two lists mutually exclusive? Why