Over the last few years I have had opportunities to lead many individuals. The one thing I can appreciate about leading others is the different challenges you face on a daily basis. Not everyone always see your plan and not everyone is always on board with your plan. Being in a role as a leader though it's your responsibility to relay that plan and show those who don't see it or understand it. Learning to lead is an everyday process and you should always be learning how to be a better leader. Knowing the difference between being a leader and be a boss or manager can be key factors in how others perceive you. Below is a good illustration of the difference between the two.

As you can see from above leading a team and managing a team are two very different jobs. Can you do both? I think you absolutely can but you also need to determine what it is you want to accomplish or how you want other to perceive you.

I have worked with teams of 2-3 people to teams of 75-100 and you can usually figure out pretty fast who are the leader, managers, and workers of the group. Being a leader isn't a title someone gives you but rather a title you earn by following the list above. If you have read my previous blogs I'm a big believer in servant leadership and helping others in ways they wouldn't imagine a leader doing so. Serving your team and letting them know you are there to support and make sure they are successful will most likely always pay off in the long run.

I've always told my teams please let me know what I can do to help you because if they are successful it should reflect me as their leader.