Leaders vs. Managers Are they the same or different?

Leaders and managers, two terms that are often confused by many people. Some feel that they are one in the same and others feel that they are completely different. In my opinion, you have to view the argument in a certain way. I feel that some managers are leaders but you don’t have to be a manager to necessary be considered a leader or you can even be a leader and not have to be a manager. Let’s examine some of the synonyms and descriptions associated with both of the terms. A leader is a person that takes charge, encourages followers, communicates its vision to its followers, takes risks, has some kind of intelligence, and usually contains a strong charisma. A manager by most corporations is someone who is in a leadership type role but doesn’t exactly have to exhibit the characteristics of a leader even though desired by the company. They can either be considered a manager of people or products. They are delegated with specific tasks that they have to carry out on the job which gives them the opportunity and flexibility to become leaders if they so desire. There are really good managers that exist and unfortunately really ineffective managers. A leader is usually a person that is creative and comes to the table with an idea. They might see a way to improve an existing situation or have a vision for a new type of product. I would consider most to be change agents. They are coming to change an existing situation to make everything run smoother. A manager is hired to be that type of person but might not always deliver. The reality is that not all managers need to inspire, motivate, or come up with valuable changes if they do not want to go that route. Many managers