Have you ever wondered how some people manage to command a room just by entering it? Have you ever got the feeling that how quickly you get convinced and moved down by other people’s ideas or suggestions? How do you feel that positive energy when you are around that person and you start admiring him/her?

Being an HR generalist I have also come across these questions. I have met some people who have that charismatic personality by birth and this is not something that one can acquire from birth only as there were others who grasp that personality by learning. And this is not hard because there are some facts that differentiate between a boss and a leader. The difference between a boss and a leader might be small but it means a world to the people who are around you or work with you.

I have tried to mention below some key traits that differentiate a boss and a leader.

• A boss is one who criticizes and a leader is one who encourages.
  Constructive criticism is required for personal growth and is good when it’s building one person’s knowledge and skills but when someone is being continuously told that what you are doing is wrong discourages the person. The Leader is one who reflects people’s strength and inspiration. This helps the person to feel positive about himself and make him serve his team in a better way.
• A boss directs while a leader coaches.
  It could also be understood as that a Manager manages and a Leader leads. As the boss mostly gives you the order but the leader gives you the direction and shows you the right path and supports you in your work because employee coaching is an essential part of maximizing employee potential.
• A boss puts blame on others and a leader takes accountability.
  Leader always try to avoid the temptation to blame others or hoard credit. As leaders are the change agents while the boss will blame you for the things that aren’t your fault or take the credit of your work. Leaders focus on maximising the efficiency of their people.
• A boss demands results while a leader inspires performance.
  Leaders always inspire their people to perform better and always look to improve their people flaws while the boss only wants the better results. Boss will never look at the struggle behind the work while the Leader encourages and supports you in your work and motivates one. “Leader creates a Vision while Boss creates Goals”.
• A boss focuses on themselves and a leader focuses on a team.
  Boss will teach you what to do while the leader shows you how and why to do it. Boss will always do better for himself but the Leader takes care of his team, how to move his team in a unity, how to work for the betterment performance of his team. Boss just assigns the work and lets you struggle while the leader is always with you and his team. “WE” is the motto of the Leader while the Boss only focuses on “ME”.
• A boss gives answers; leaders gives solutions.
  A boss will just give you the answer to your problem, while a leader will help you to find the solution
• A boss knows it all ; a leader is always willing to learn.
  People won’t like it when someone pretends to know or might know everything. The same goes for a boss. A leader is the one who always looks to grow as a person and gain new insights and knowledge about their area of focus.

And the list would go on. There are many traits that could differentiate between a boss and a good leader. A leader focuses on what their team needs or wants, understand the situation and try to resolve or give suggestions without taking any credit by himself. The boss manages their employees and a leader inspires them to think creatively and strives for better performance. So, who are you between the two,”A Boss or A Leader”?