The Leader vs. The Boss
The following is an excerpt from an email I received from the website Breakfast With Fred. It contains some great counsel about leadership.
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People ask me “Fred, what is the difference between bossing and leading?” I gave it some thought and came up with this:
The Boss The Leader
Doesn’t explain Explains clearly
Bosses(often bullies) Leads through respect
Says “Do as I say!” Says “Do as I do!’
Overbearing Considerate
Impatient Patient
Seeks excuses for fault finding Looks for ways to assist
Jumps to conclusions Makes sure of the facts
Passes the buck Takes responsibility
Bull-headed and conceited Willing to admit mistakes
Fails to give credit Shares credit
Spies on workers Open and above board
Treats employees as mass Appreciates individual contributions
Fear-driven Confident
Doesn’t care about employee opinions Seeks employee input with fairness
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People ask me “Fred, what is the difference between bossing and leading?” I gave it some thought and came up with this:
The Boss The Leader
Doesn’t explain Explains clearly
Bosses(often bullies) Leads through respect
Says “Do as I say!” Says “Do as I do!’
Overbearing Considerate
Impatient Patient
Seeks excuses for fault finding Looks for ways to assist
Jumps to conclusions Makes sure of the facts
Passes the buck Takes responsibility
Bull-headed and conceited Willing to admit mistakes
Fails to give credit Shares credit
Spies on workers Open and above board
Treats employees as mass Appreciates individual contributions
Fear-driven Confident
Doesn’t care about employee opinions Seeks employee input with fairness
How about you? After looking at the list, where do you measure up? Are you a Boss or a Leader?
