Managers and leaders are often confused, they both are authority figures that hold the responsibility to direct, take decisions and influence the others towards a common goal. Both, leaders and managers must help each other in achieving their shared goals, as while they have different methods for doing things, the both serve similar purposes. Being able to catch their differences can help you become better at your job.

Leaders have vision and managers have methods. Leaders that desire to be successful must have a strong and clear vision of how they want their things to be, being able to set an aim for a business and inspire others to see it and desire it just the same is a must for any decent leader. Managers have the obligation of knowing what needs to be done to make the visions of the leader become true.

Leaders recognize potential, managers recognize skills. Leaders are able to look at what their colleagues can be able to do. They can inspire personal development and change because they want others to reach their true potentials. Managers, on the other hand, need to look at which skills their colleagues currently have, they want them to be on the positions where they are able to give their best and success, while at the same time contributing towards their development.

Leaders should think out of the box, managers should see what’s inside it. A leader that is able to see things for what they can be while at the same time acknowledging what they are now can make use of different ways of thinking as being able to shape their vision on the go can make their goals more achievable. Managers should understand the visions of a leader to be able to help them reach their goals using whatever method is available at the moment, they must see things for what they are so they can use make the best use of it.

Leaders convince, managers accomplish. A leader is one that is able to talk others to join and work for their cause, if he sees someone or something that can help him achieve his goal faster he will go right at it. A manager must understand what the leader wants; he must interpret their ideas and act accordingly.

Leaders must know what’s outside their business, managers what is inside. A business leader knows that there are other opportunities out there awaiting him, if they don’t come at him then he will go out of his way to look for them.  A manager must know how does the business they manage works, he also must have specific knowledge of the team they are in charge of so they can be able to efficiently deliver results.

Good leaders are all about the convincing and their visions. They are the ones that are able to think ideas that work in their minds, set goals and move others to help him achieve it. Good managers are all about the “do it efficiently”, they make ideas become reality and goals become achievable. They should never be rivals as they must work together for the better of their business.