Five ways to be a leader, not a manager

Five ways to be a leader, not a managerFive ways to be a leader, not a managerHave you ever wondered about the difference between a manager and a leader?Jennifer Hill has. Having held senior leadership positions with some top global financial institutions and in her current role as CFO for Global Banking and Global Markets with Bank of America, shes learned a thing or two about what leadership is and isnt.Jennifer packed many of those lessons into an enlightening five-minute kickoff keynote for my Poised for Leadership workshop in New York City.How does she define leadership? When I think about the qualities I admire fruchtwein in leaders, three words come to mind, she shared with thirty-five workshop participants. They are responsibility, accountability, and decisiveness.Ladders is now on SmartNewsDownload the SmartNews app and add the Ladders channel to read the latest career news and advice wherever you go.Jennifer also stresses that we shouldnt confuse leadership with management . There is a big difference, said Jennifer, who knows this from experience. I have been led by some great people and Id been micromanaged by some horrible people, she admitted. Here are five lessons on leading, not managing, that Jennifer learned from the best leaders she has worked with.1. Listen more and speak lessJennifer pointed out that being a good listener and hearing the thoughts and inspirations of others can help you, even when youre the one in charge. And, she added People feel good when they feel heard.2. Consensus is good but direction and decisiveness create actionLeading by consensus will rally a team around a common goal, but according to Jennifer, that alone is not enough to be a leader and create change. Consensus is good but direction and decisiveness create action, she emphasized. You must guide consensus.3. Anyone can identify a problem. A leader is part of the solutionLeaders dont sit around and complain about whats wrong, Jennifer said. They drive solutions. They figure out how to make it right, she added.4. Apologize publicly and gloat privatelyTrue leaders dont just praise publicly and criticize privately. They are also humble enough to apologize publicly and gloat privately.You dont see leaders bragging about their success, said Jennifer. They talk about their team and their teams contributions. And if they feel really good about themselves, they do it at home or with a close friend but not publicly. A leader will apologize and take accountability their actions.5. Give the hard messageIts very easy to praise somebody. Its easy to give somebody a raise or a good review. It can be much harder, however, to have the tough conversations.While admitting that this might sound like a harsh thing to say, Jennifer pointed out that not everyone does an outstanding job all the time. Youve got to tell them, and then youve got to move on, she acknowledged.The takeawayHer parting words for the group were filled with encouragement to strive to be a leader and not just a manager. Learn to inspire and motivate as opposed to dictate, she said in closing. At the end of the day, good leaders often dont do the work but they make you feel like they did.Jo Milleris dedicated to helping women around the world advance into positions of leadership and influence. Jo speaks at leadership conferences, professional associations, and corporate womens networks at companies like Amazon, Bank of America, eBay and Microsoft.This article first appeared on Be Leaderly.