There are two types of persons that you can look up to when you want to motivate yourself regarding achieving success. There are the leader and the boss. Both of them share the same quality of providing you with inspiration and motivation to work hard diligently. However, though these two seem to have common traits, they are both different in their approach. One of them may create a lasting positive impact on your life, and the other one may leave you with nothing but trauma. So let’s try to differentiate the things about a leader and a boss.
Karol Wasylyshyn Psy.D. explains the different types of bosses. “Those with Remarkable bosses could soar. Those with Perilous bosses could stop personalizing their bosses’ relentless criticism and dissatisfaction. Those with Toxic bosses could acquire coping strategies and/or figure out a way out of their miserable reporting relationships.”
Encouragement
The fine line between encouraging and dominating is visible in a person in a higher position. When it comes to pushing people to work, a boss always makes sure that he’s in charge. He drives his constituents and doesn’t allow them to commit mistakes. A boss installs fear and anguish to his people. On the other hand, a leader is someone who coaches his people. He doesn’t leave them not until he believes they are ready for whatever task there is. A leader’s essential character is his ability to generate enthusiast within his group.
Amy C. Edmondson, Ph.D. says, “This tool is deceptively simple and deceptively powerful. A question plainly conveys, “I am interested in what you have to say.” In asking it, you have created a moment of psychological safety that helps others offer their own thinking.”
Rules
Though both leader and boss share the same power of being on top, one makes an exemption. A boss depends on authority. Everything about his rules is subjected to complete implications. There’s no room for mistakes and unquestionably no time for disagreements. His words are the only thing that matters.
Meanwhile, a leader becomes different because he depends on goodwill. He listens to his people and allows them to contribute to something that is useful and beneficial for the whole team. He appreciates everyone’s skills, talents, and mental capabilities.
According to Kevin Bennett, Ph.D., “Effective leaders are needed who can build teams that result in measurable actions. This might mean that people disagree with each other along the way, but the effective leader realizes that can be a healthy part of the process.”
Focus
As much as we love to work without a boss or a leader, things are never the same without them. Concerning focus, a boss believes in “I” while a leader thought of “we.” When “I” is given emphasis, a boss becomes the single functioning brain of the whole team. Therefore, everything becomes all about him. But here’s the twist. When a boss fails, it’s his people’s fault. But when he succeeds, it’s only because of his effort. A leader differs because he becomes one of the team. There’s no boundary as to what he and his team are about to achieve. There are fairness and equality for all.
Effort
When it comes to diligent work, a boss is always functional. Not because he repeatedly do the task over and over, but because he knows everything about it. He depends on knowledge-based facts and distributes it to his constituents for functional purposes. From there, he ensures commitment with a little less effort. A leader, on the other hand, is sometimes incapable of doing anything. However, his ability to partake in the task makes him stand out. A leader attempts to do the job and shows his people how things could be done.
Social Interaction
People are incapable of living alone so there’s no hard work that a person can’t manage when he’s with his team. However, the mentality of how people should be taken care of differs in both a boss’s and a leader’s way. Boss uses people to work for him without any concerns and social attachment. The connection is only between employer and worker, and nothing more, nothing less.
Contrary to what a leader does, he makes a connection. He develops a person’s ability and skills for future endeavor. A leader takes time to imprint something to his members so that they can fully become the persons they have to be.
Both a leader and a boss affect a person’s overall social, emotional, and mental development. They play a significant role in their lives. So if there’s a chance you’ll be at the top position, make sure to choose become a leader instead of focusing on being a boss.
