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The main difference between leaders and managers is that leaders have people follow them whilst managers have people who work for them. Everything, from large corporations to small businesses requires some level of staff management alongside some leadership. When you adopt a more leadership oriented role, you’re dealing more from the frontlines as it were, and getting into the action up close. As a manager you’re responsible for the actual running and administration of the business and its workforce. Whereas managers tend to direct, leaders will often inspire by example. However whereas in the past the two could have been kept separate, in today’s economy business owners can no longer afford to be one or the other. In order to truly get the most out of your company, knowing how and when to employ both can be instrumental in your business’s success. The nature of modern business practice involves management as well as leadership to become successful. A leader enables people to form a mindset of the idea and gives them tasks and keeps them motivated in their certain direction. A manager manages the tasks of all the people, makes them work as a team. A manager focuses on team while the leader works on the individual mind. These both need to work together in order for the business to sustain.

Being a manager and a leader at the same time is a viable concept. But remember, just because someone is a phenomenal leader it does not necessarily guarantee that the person will be an exceptional manager as well, and vice versa. So, what are the standout differences between the two roles?

A leader invents or innovates while a manager organizes.
A manager relies on control whereas a leader inspires trust.
A leader asks the questions "what" and "why" whereas a manager leans more towards the questions "how" and "when."

Managers and leaders are both important—and when you find both qualities in the same person, it’s like hitting a professional jackpot. Try inculcating a mixture of both values in yourself. A manager can be asked at any time to act as a leader and vice versa. Companies usually look for such people who easily be transferred between the two roles.