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Leaders versus People Who Lead

In business, there are leaders and there are people who lead.  Often times, we don’t recognize the difference at our companies because it can seem subtle.

At our companies, leaders are people that hold a position of power or authority–usually your bosses and managers.  Sometimes authority is real because of their tenure or position at a company but other times it’s implied, because the leader’s skill or ability makes her an invaluable employee at her company.

On the other hand, there are also people who lead. These are the people who inspire us not just because of skill but because of their commitment and values.  They may not always have the best title or make the most money but they have more passion and more ideas for change.

More often than not we follow leaders because we have to.  Not only is that what everyone else does but it’s also helpful for our careers.

But we follow people who lead because we want to. Because they inspire us to be more and do better.

Perhaps not as subtle as you originally thought.