1. Leaders manage stress with confidence. Leaders react to stress with calmness and certainty. They leverage their emotions to improve rather than exacerbate a situation. They can read emotional cues from others.
2. Leaders are purpose driven. Leaders focus on sustainable solutions rather than quick, short-term fixes. True leaders focus on “what’s right—not what’s right now.”
3. Leaders know how to delegate. A boss may feel insecure entrusting tasks to others for a variety of reasons, such as an inability to give up control, a desire to be the one who “saves” the team, or simply a fear of failure. Effective leaders are secure in their abilities and hire those in whom they have confidence and to whom they are comfortable handing off projects with the appropriate level of supervision.
4. Leaders know when to break the rules. Bosses may take the safe route and respond to issues based on the contents of a policy manual. Leaders understand that some circumstances require them to make decisions that are not aligned with the manual and to adjust their approach for the good of the individual, team, and organization.
5. Leaders create a followership. Leaders inspire team members and create long-term relationships. For example, when a leader leaves the organization, colleagues who want to continue the relationship follow that leader to the next position. Such followership demonstrates hard-won, authentic leadership.
6. Leaders have a high emotional quotient. Understanding how behaviors, feelings, attitudes, and motivations affect morale and productivity is an attribute of leadership. A boss might be sympathetic, but a leader is empathetic.
7. Leaders create new leaders. Bosses focus on retaining control and power; leaders focus on the future of the organization and the talent within. Exceptional leaders can identify talent and will take the time to mentor the next class of leaders.
8. Leaders do not provide all the answers. Bosses might provide critical feedback, but leaders show people how to enhance their skills and initiate conversations that help them analyze how to make the district better. Sometimes, the leader does not provide the answers and allows team members to fail, but the true leader provides a safety net for them during the learning process.
9. Leaders know how to do the job on their own. Although bosses direct others to perform tasks, leaders have the skills and knowledge to perform those tasks, which gives them the ability to understand the intricacies of the tasks that need to be completed. Leaders who can leverage their knowledge and mentor others are able to collaborate with team members, not merely delegate tasks.
10. Leaders are the best team players. A boss might appear like the Lone Ranger, solve a problem, then disappear until the next crisis. A leader works side by side with the team and shares responsibility with the team; this approach pays dividends in morale, productivity, and innovation. Leaders not only engage with team members, they also model valued interactions. Hands-on, engaged, and positive leaders want to collaborate with their teams and show that teams perform better than individuals.
11. Leaders inspire creative thought. Bosses like to be viewed as the ones who hold all the knowledge; they like having others dependent on them to do their jobs. Conversely, leaders view not having the answers as an opportunity to engage in creative problem solving.
12. Leaders are motivated by passion. People who really love their jobs radiate excitement. Their contagious passion instills joy in team members as they accomplish difficult tasks and implement better educational programs. Leaders are genuine in their enthusiasm and organically motivate their teams to achieve higher levels of accomplishment. Bosses, on the other hand, might take credit for an accomplishment even as they limit the team’s creativity and effectiveness through fear or intimidation.
In Conclusion
The terms “boss” and “leader” are clearly not synonymous; many nuances differentiate them. Based on these 12 characteristics, ask yourself, “Am I a leader or a boss?”
Resources
Dizon, A. 2017. Boss vs leader: 25 major differences. Fit Small Business, November 15. www.fitsmallbusiness.com/boss-vs-leader.
Fannin, K. 2018. Leader vs boss: 12 Defining characteristics of a leader. Intelivate, May 11. www.intelivate.com/team-strategy/boss-vs-leader-image.