Are You a Boss or a Leader? Know The Difference Between The Two.

At some point of our lives, we dream to become our own bosses, being the one to take charge of a team with a unified goal in mind. However, there is a huge difference between being a boss and being a leader. And although there is a thin line between the two, one can easily differentiate how they are perceived in today’s competitive world. When the day comes that you finally get to have your own glass-walled office, which of the two positions would you be? Here are five major points to let you know:

A leader leads the pack; a boss watches on the sideline.

A leader is at the forefront of every campaign, just like ancient chiefs were during battles. Because these chiefs are with the troops in every fight, the troops were not afraid of any adversary. In the corporate world, a leader is that chief that moves forward together with his or her team. On the other hand, you can see the boss just staying on the sideline, watching others to the dirty work, and constantly judging every move.

A leader inspires; a boss intimidates.

Projects can put on a lot of pressure to the entire team. When push comes to shove, the leader can be seen motivating others to take action. He or she encourages every member to grow and learn from every circumstance — even challenging them to be better versions of themselves. Meanwhile, a boss can be seen as intimidating in every advice, always preferring to demand respect rather than actually earning it. Such circumstance can also be seen when it comes to drug testing in the workplace. While the boss judges every marijuana user, the leader helps a member that gets a positive result from a hair drug test. The leader will make sure that the employer gets rehabilitated and goes through certain kind of training.

A leader listens; a boss commands.

A leader takes charge of a project and listens to what every member of the team has to say. He or she understands that any feedback and discussion is necessary to better achieve the goal. When it comes to workplace drug testing, he or she listens to every member’s concern and guides the member to pass a marijuana drug test. Contrary to this, a boss constantly gives orders without acting on others’ ideas. While a leader listens, the boss only hears.

A leader sets realistic goals; a boss expects the impossible.

A leader is more sensitive in knowing what can be reasonably achieved in a given amount of time. It is the leader’s priority to ensure that everyone has a common goal before setting expectations. However, a boss demands meeting a certain goal at all costs even when it might be vague and impossible to achieve. This puts the team in frustration hinders progress in the long run.

A leader is humble; a boss thinks he’s always right.

A leader is confident enough to lead the team but does not let it get in the way of learning more from others. He or she is able to accept that there is more to learn — even if it is from those who are in lower positions. On the other hand, a boss thinks that he always has the best ideas and that they should be followed all the time.

There may come a point in time when you will meet a boss and a leader, and it is by observing the team’s morale that you will know which is which. There may be plenty of bosses in the world, but it is through leaders that success can be easily achieved.