Leader or Boss?

We all have the same complaints at work. "Ugh, I hate my boss." Naturally, you'll probably think your boss/manager is a bit of a knob. But that's purely because they have to command and make decisions that you may not agree with. 

Now, how they orchestrate those decisions is up to them, and can make the difference between them being a good leader, or simply a boss. 

A leader, as the picture above illustrates, will do the dirty work with the team. Get stuck in. The sort of person that makes you think, "if they're willing to do the crap work, I'm willing to do that work for them too."

A boss will simply command. It's not inspiring. It doesn't motivate. They might not be that busy and will still demand that someone else gets the job done. I think we all know which one we prefer. 

We all prefer to follow a good leader, than be dragged around by a boss. A good leader can bring a team up, and usually make the work that you need to complete fun and enjoyable. 

I've compiled a small list of the skills I believe make a good leader, and help avoiding to become a boss.

Confidence and Positive Attitude

This is not only a confidence in themselves, but a confidence in a business that can help keep up morale. A team will usually react how they feel the leader is reacting. So, if a confident and calm persona is on display, the team will not worry, even if times look worrying.
Similar to being calm and confident, portraying a positive attitude at all times will help the team with a positive attitude. Providing little thank you's along the way, or just passing a smile on, remembering that each member is a person that needs to be kept upbeat and positive.

Approachable
I think the minute you see your boss and don't feel comfortable talking to them, that's when you know they fall into the boss category rather than leader. Leader's are approachable and like to take on the team's thoughts and ideas. They listen, and will usually act on those ideas. A boss will usually have their own ideas and follow them through no matter what. This isn't always a bad thing, but a team may feel less motivated this way.

Commitment

This is being committed to their team, but also to the job that their team has to undergo. There is no better motivation for a team than seeing their leader down in the trenches, going through the grind with everyone. This helps to build a respect for their leader. If they're willing to get their hands dirty, then so should we.

Communication
Being able to communicate effectively with your team is vital. This is what on what you want achieved, but also on big news within your company that could affect everyone. People like to remain in the know, and a good leader will make sure that they are. They want to be told honestly about what is happening, and what will happen. A good leader will make sure that strong communication runs throughout the system.

Inspire and Motivate

These have slipped their way into the other sections, but it is most important. Most bosses will suck all motivation out of their team, only wanting the task to be done and they don't care how. A leader will motivate a team to complete a task. Inspire them to hit their sales targets. This can be as simple as letting them know what their job has done for the company, and how it is helping to improve.

I've worked under both kinds, sometimes within the same company. It's amazing how someone's mood can change depending on which manager they see in. If it's a leader they see, the day looks brighter and the tasks become easier. If it's a boss, then the day feels longer and the tasks feel heavy.

What are your thoughts? Share and comment.

You can read my other blogs at FeedTheSport and ScriptEye here.