Strategic Leadership

Boss vs Leader: 12 Defining Characteristics of a Leader

1 Leaders Focus on Sustainable Solutions – Not Quick Fixes.

A boss will teach you what to do. A leader will show you how and why to do it.

A focus on the why is one of the most critical leadership approaches because it makes learning
sustainable and transferable to other situations. Sustainable learning and self-reliance are huge
deterrents of toxic leadership and micromanaging.

2 Leaders Have a High Emotional Quotient.

A boss is a subject matter expert. A leader is an emotional and people expert. Great leaders are
very sensitive, albeit not emotional which is why they have fantastic strategies for conflict
resolution in teams.

3 Leaders Want You to Feel Successful.

Bosses need you to perform well for their success. A leader wants you to feel successful even if
you failed.

One of the incredible characteristics of a leader is linking individual success to the success of
those they lead. If those people do not succeed, the leaders have failed in both their minds – and
hearts.

4 Leaders Build Self-Accountability.

A boss holds you accountable. A leader grows the confidence and passion from within you to
build self-accountability.

5 A Leader Measures Success Differently Than a Boss.

Bosses determine their success by a title position or hierarchy in the business. A leader –
especially a born leader – influences anywhere and everywhere.

Leaders define their success by the passion and impact of the people they influence.

6. Bosses Depend on Authority. Leaders Depend on Influence.

One of the biggest delineators of the boss vs leader is authority dependency. A boss depends on
positional power to have an impact. Leadership influence in not dependent on power or position.
7. Leaders Focus on What’s Right.

A boss focuses on what is right now – putting out the daily fires. A leader stays focused on doing
what is right.

Out of all the characteristics of a leader, the ability to force your decisions past the chaos at the
moment is the difference between success and failure.

8. Leaders Operate by Their Legacies. Bosses Operate By Their Competition.

A boss focuses decisions on the competition. Leaders stay aware of their competition but operate
with a legacy definition in mind. This also supports not making potentially bad decisions at the
moment and focusing on the future.

9 Leaders are Motivated by Passion and Purpose. Bosses are Driven by Fear.

Bosses – and bad leaders – are driven by fear and reaction. A leader stays driven by passion and
purpose – even during the challenging times of business change and transformation.

10 Leaders Want You to Be More Successful Than They Are. A Boss Always Wants to Be
the Boss.

A boss always wants to stay your boss. A leader – much like a parent – wants you to do better.

11 Leaders Get Joy From Others’ Successes.

A boss gets pleasure from being recognized for doing a great job. Leaders get pleasure out of
seeing others rewarded for the fantastic results of their passion.

Imagine living in a world where everyone had the same pleasure principle as a leader.

12 Leaders Build Your Confidence. Bosses Build Your Fear.

Bosses keep you wondering or in fear just enough so that you tell them what they want to hear.
At the least, bosses condition you not to say what they do not want to hear. This is why bosses
don’t need a conflict management strategy – they just expect for everyone to agree with them.

Leaders build your confidence and trust so you will tell them what they need to hear. They
know leadership and trust are necessary to be influential.
9 Differences Between Being A Leader And A Manager

When you are promoted into a role where you are managing people, you don’t
automatically become a leader. There are important distinctions between managing
and leading people. Here are nine of the most important differences that set leaders
apart:

1. Leaders create a vision, managers create goals.

Leaders paint a picture of what they see as possible and inspire and engage their
people in turning that vision into reality. They think beyond what individuals do. They
activate people to be part of something bigger. They know that high-functioning
teams can accomplish a lot more working together than individuals working
autonomously. Managers focus on setting, measuring and achieving goals. They
control situations to reach or exceed their objectives.

2. Leaders are change agents, managers maintain the status quo.

Leaders are proud disrupters. Innovation is their mantra. They embrace change and
know that even if things are working, there could be a better way forward. And they
understand and accept the fact that changes to the system often create waves.
Managers stick with what works, refining systems, structures and processes to make
them better.

3. Leaders are unique, managers copy.

Leaders are willing to be themselves. They are self-aware and work actively to build
their unique and differentiated personal brand. They are comfortable in their own
shoes and willing to stand out. They’re authentic and transparent. Managers mimic the
competencies and behaviors they learn from others and adopt their leadership style
rather than defining it.
4. Leaders take risks, managers control risk .

Leaders are willing to try new things even if they may fail miserably. They know that
failure is often a step on the path to success. Managers work to minimize risk. They
seek to avoid or control problems rather than embracing them.

5. Leaders are in it for the long haul, managers think short-term.

Leaders have intentionality. They do what they say they are going to do and stay
motivated toward a big, often very distant goal. They remain motivated without
receiving regular rewards. Managers work on shorter-term goals, seeking more
regular acknowledgment or accolades.

6. Leaders grow personally, managers rely on existing, proven skills.

Leaders know if they aren’t learning something new every day, they aren’t standing
still, they’re falling behind. They remain curious and seek to remain relevant in an
ever-changing world of work. They seek out people and information that will expand
their thinking. Managers often double down on what made them successful, perfecting
existing skills and adopting proven behaviors.

7. Leaders build relationships, managers build systems and processes.

Leaders focus on people – all the stakeholders they need to influence in order to
realize their vision. They know who their stakeholders are and spend most of their
time with them. They build loyalty and trust by consistently delivering on their
promise. Managers focus on the structures necessary to set and achieve goals. They
focus on the analytical and ensure systems are in place to attain desired outcomes.
They work with individuals and their goals and objectives.
8. Leaders coach, managers direct.

Leaders know that people who work for them have the answers or are able to find
them. They see their people as competent and are optimistic about their potential.
They resist the temptation to tell their people what to do and how to do it. Managers
assign tasks and provide guidance on how to accomplish them.

9. Leaders create fans, managers have employees.

Leaders have people who go beyond following them; their followers become their
raving fans and fervent promoters – helping them build their brand and achieve their
goals. Their fans help them increase their visibility and credibility. Managers have
staff who follow directions and seek to please the boss.

Are you a manager or a leader?

The Eight Archetypes of Leadership

 The strategist: leadership as a game of chess. These people are good at dealing with
developments in the organization’s environment. They provide vision, strategic direction
and outside-the-box thinking to create new organizational forms and generate future
growth.
 The change-catalyst: leadership as a turnaround activity. These executives love messy
situations. They are masters at re-engineering and creating new organizational ”blueprints.”
 The transactor: leadership as deal making. These executives are great dealmakers.
Skilled at identifying and tackling new opportunities, they thrive on negotiations.
 The builder: leadership as an entrepreneurial activity. These executives dream of
creating something and have the talent and determination to make their dream come true.
 The innovator: leadership as creative idea generation. These people are focused on the
new. They possess a great capacity to solve extremely difficult problems.
 The processor: leadership as an exercise in efficiency. These executives like
organizations to be smoothly running, well-oiled machines. They are very effective at
setting up the structures and systems needed to support an organization’s objectives.
  The coach: leadership as a form of people development. These executives know how to
get the best out of people, thus creating high performance cultures.
 The communicator: leadership as stage management. These executives are great
influencers, and have a considerable impact on their surroundings.

The 10 Characteristics Of A Good Strategic Leader

1. Strong Communication
Without a doubt, being an effective communicator is a top attribute of a strategic leader. You
may have a clear vision of what you’re trying to accomplish, but if you can’t convey it to your
team or colleagues, it will be almost impossible to carry out. By developing the ability to clearly
describe what you want done and relate it to your team, you will unite everyone’s efforts. More
specifically, your team needs to be aligned and on-board with your strategic objectives and goals
to be successful.

Communication also extends to “softer skill” practices, like having an open-door policy or
holding regular one-on-one meetings with team members. Express your vision clearly and then
make yourself accessible to discuss anything going on in the office.

2. Good Listening Skills

While effectively communicating your expectations and vision is one of the top strategic
leadership characteristics, it’s also important to listen to what your team has to say. “Speaking
and hearing” are two sides of the same coin and the best leaders do both well.

As Mark Twain said, “Wisdom is the reward you get for a lifetime of listening when you would
have rather talked.” Listening seems deceptively simple, but it can be difficult to pause in the
middle of your busy day to sit with an employee or quietly tune in from the sidelines of a
strategic planning meeting. Employees need to know their concerns and ideas are being heard—
this not only helps build morale, but it makes your organization better because you are getting
input from the people who are on the front lines. A leader who practices the art of listening gains
the knowledge needed to solve problems, improve products or services, and build a strong
company culture.

3. Passion & Commitment

Enthusiasm for your mission or project will get others excited because they can see and feel your
dedication. But you must also add commitment to the mix of strategic leadership qualities,
because passion doesn’t always get the job done. Commitment is the ability to stay focused on
what will make you successful.

One simple way to convey your passion and commitment is to lead by example. You expect your
team to work hard and produce quality results, so roll up your sleeves and join them. Team
motivation significantly increases when people see their boss working alongside them, putting in
the same level of effort (or more) than everyone else. When you show that hard work is being
done on every level of the organization, you prove your commitment and earn the respect of your
team as a leader.

Another idea that we have seen from some leaders in Balanced Scorecard organizations is to
always carry a version of your strategy map. It could be pocket-size or wallet-size, or printed and
put in a notebook. This will allow you to regularly ask your colleagues and employees where
they fit in on the strategy and how they regularly contribute. Furthermore, this highlights a
passion for your strategy, and helps with the first attribute: good communication. Soon you may
find that everyone carries their own copy of the strategy map!

4. Positivity
A positive attitude is contagious. If your team is led and surrounded by happy and positive
people, they will work harder and be happier themselves. Positivity can take many forms in the
workplace—from providing snacks in the communal kitchen to keeping an upbeat tone in your
internal emails. Of course there should be a balance between play time and productive time, but
do your best to create a positive, supportive environment during the workday.

Keep in mind that some leaders conduct strategy review meetings and only focus on
the problems—i.e. the red and yellow items in their scorecard. You definitely want to be aware
of issues (as no good leader has their head in the sand), but you must also take the time to
recognize things that are going well with your strategy and celebrate successes.

5. Innovation
When you’ve been working at a company for years, or simply been in the same career for a
while, it’s easy to get stuck. Being a strong leader requires practicality and realism, but just as
importantly it requires having an eye for innovation and the vision to execute on it. Nimbly
adjusting and adapting to current business or economic environments is a valuable skill to foster.

In other words, don’t get too comfortable. If an idea or process is foreign to you, assess it and
look at the benefits of implementing something new. Characteristics of a strategic leader include
being open to change and “left-field” thoughts, because that is precisely what will give you a
competitive advantage. By making sound decisions based on data, no vision or innovation will
be too far afield.
Remember that you may not be the most innovative person in the room—but you still need to
foster innovation amongst your team. Be sure to have sessions or days where you encourage
ideas about innovating around your strategy, and give some of the ideas the resources they need
to be tested or expanded. If you never allow team members to innovate, they will have no
examples inside of the organization to point to in order to make suggestions in the future.

6. Collaboration
Having a collaborative approach to leadership is powerful because it naturally creates
transparency in your organization. If you’re connected to your team and genuinely interested in
collaborating with them, they will know what you’re thinking and vice versa. Collaboration leads
to trust, and your team will be more likely to support your vision. If you’re not getting buy-in
on that strategic plan you’ve created, it’s not going to be effective. People want to own what
they help create.

One way to improve collaboration is to create some small projects and put others in charge. Play
the role of participant on the project instead of being a leader. Show your colleagues that you
respect their ideas and approach. From there, you can begin implementing this with bigger
projects and initiatives. Be sure to give credit where it’s due—in public—so that others can see
that you appreciate their contributions.

7. Honesty
In many ways, strategic leadership all begins with honesty. Being forthright about your
successes, failures, and reasoning for choosing certain strategies and goals over others will earn
the respect of your team. Following the motto of “honesty is the best policy” generates trust
within your organization.

Being honest isn’t always easy, because it requires communicating both the good and the bad.
It’s not about popularity, but rather about integrity. Within the space of a quarter, you may have
to tell employees both that you’re over budget and need to cancel initiatives, and that you
outpaced benchmarks and are leading the industry in specific metrics.

Being an honest leader also includes being publicly transparent. Municipalities, nonprofits,
healthcare facilities, and other similar organizations are under the most pressure to
exhibit transparency. All leaders, but particularly those beholden to regulatory compliance,
should be clear about plans, progress, and results. When you’re honest and transparent, it’s easier
to get everyone on the same page and earn the trust of your employees and community when
trying to achieve your strategic goals.
8. Diplomacy
Honesty is always the best policy, but strategic leadership often requires you to be tactful.
Diplomacy is a learned skill that helps leaders effectively manage conflict using negotiation and
sensitivity. It requires an unbiased, strategic approach to problem solving. As Henry Kissinger
defined it, diplomacy is “the art of restraining power.”

It’s inevitable when planning and executing your strategy that you’ll deal with disagreements
and competing priorities. Having different points of view ultimately strengthens your
organization, but it’s a reality that can be challenging to manage in the short term. What if your
strategy team disagrees on how to measure a customer objective? How can you please two
department heads who both want ownership over a key initiative? Strategic leadership is being
able to navigate these difficulties and turn them into win-win situations whenever possible.

9. Empathy
Being empathetic doesn’t mean you’re the organization’s resident therapist. It means you try to
understand your team’s problems by walking in their shoes and seeing things from their
perspective. Practicing empathy creates meaningful connections because leaders develop an
awareness of the challenges and needs of a team or department, versus sitting oblivious in an
ivory tower.

Aside from the interpersonal benefits, empathy is also a practical tool. When you truly
understand what it takes to execute a strategy—the skills, resources, projects, and more—you’re
able to set more realistic goals and timelines. For example, a product team may need a certain
amount of time to properly test the UX, or a sales team may need an updated CRM system to hit
their revenue goals. Empathetic leaders gain the respect of employees and are more likely to
successfully execute the organization’s strategies because they know exactly what it takes to get
the job done.

10. Humility
Humility is one of the most respected strategic leadership qualities. Humble leaders admit their
mistakes, apologize when necessary, and always share credit. This behavior makes you more
“human” and relatable; it’s also simply a best practice to empower and reward others instead of
acting like the smartest person in the room (even if you are!).

Practice humility not only with other people, but with your planning and processes. This means
recognizing you don’t know everything and some of the best strategies have flaws. By being
open to learning and leaving your ego at the door, you’re poised to help your organization adapt
and improve.

Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things.– Peter Drucker