Have You Got Managers or Leaders in Your Business?

When you look at your team, do you see managers people with job titles, authority, and the ability to delegate? Or do you see leaders – individuals who take ownership, create impact, and drive real change?

The difference is crucial. A manager operates within a hierarchy, ensuring tasks get done, while a leader inspires action, solves problems, and makes a lasting impact on the business.

And here’s the key leaders don’t have to be managers. Anyone can lead if given the right mindset and opportunities. Some of the best leaders in a business don’t have direct reports at all, they lead through influence, ideas, and problem solving, rather than authority.

The challenge many businesses face is that they have plenty of managers, but not enough leaders. If your team is stuck waiting for instructions, avoiding responsibility, or failing to step up, you don’t just have a performance issue, you have a leadership issue.

Let’s break down the key differences between managers and leaders—and how you can start developing true leadership within your business.

Video Transcription:

When you think about your team, have you got managers in your team or have you got leaders? Now, the difference is that a manager, of course, it’s a position, isn’t it. It’s a hierarchy, it’s a boss of someone else, it’s just a job title essentially.

Whereas a leader is someone who can really have impact in the team, in the business overall. So rather than just delegating a task to someone who is a leader, you’re delegating a responsibility to them. They really own something and can have impact, massive impact in the business.

In fact, leaders don’t even have to be managers at all they’re just people who want to take ownership and make changes in a business.

I run a future leaders Academy and we’ve got people who are managing teams, big teams, and we’ve got people who aren’t yet managing teams, people who want to step up in the future to do so and no matter where they are in that scale, there are people who leave those sessions getting back into the business and really take ownership of tasks like a leader can.

And recent graduates of the Academy reported an 84% increase in their confidence when they went back to the office. One guy even said that that one of the sessions was life changing you know, tears in his eyes, he said it was life changing.

And that’s when we were talking about cash flow forecasting, by the way. So if you’ve got any future leaders, if you’ve got any rising stars in your business who you want to turn from managers into leaders, then please drop me a message or just write.

Key Takeaways: How to Develop Leaders, Not Just Managers

1. A Manager Has a Title, A Leader Has Influence

A manager has authority because of their position. They are responsible for overseeing work, making sure tasks are completed, and enforcing company policies. Their title gives them power.

But a leader doesn’t need a title to have influence. Leaders earn trust and respect through their actions. They take initiative, look for ways to improve the business, and inspire others to do the same.

Think about your own team:

• Do people follow managers because they have to, or because they trust them?
• Are your managers directing work, or are they motivating and empowering their teams?

Great businesses are built on leadership at every level, not just in management positions.

2. Leaders Take Responsibility, Not Just Tasks

A manager ensures tasks get done. They delegate work, follow processes, and keep the team on track. But leaders go beyond tasks, they take responsibility for the bigger picture.

A leader doesn’t just complete work—they ask the bigger questions:

• How can we improve this?
• What can we do differently?
• How do we create a better system?

While managers wait for direction from above, leaders think proactively about how to improve the business, even if they don’t have a formal leadership title.

If your team isn’t stepping up, ask yourself:

• Are they being given opportunities to lead?
• Do they feel safe taking initiative, or do they fear being micromanaged?

Leadership isn’t about being told what to do, it’s about seeing a need and taking action.

3. Leadership Isn’t Limited to Managers

Some of the best leaders in a business aren’t in management positions at all. Leadership is about stepping up, solving problems, and driving growth, regardless of job title. Think about the people in your team who:

• Take the initiative to fix problems without being asked
• Step up and support their colleagues when needed
• Challenge old ways of working and suggest better solutions

These are your future leaders. They might not be in management today, but with the right development, they could be key drivers of success in your business. If you’re only looking at your managers to lead, you’re missing out on a huge pool of leadership potential.

4. Confidence and Leadership Can Be Learned

Many people assume leadership is something you’re born with. But the truth is, leadership is a skill that can be developed. I run a Future Leaders Academy, where we help ambitious employees step up and learn the skills to become true leaders. The results?

• Participants reported an 84% increase in confidence after learning leadership skills
• One even described the experience as life-changing

And here’s the most interesting part: This wasn’t about learning advanced business strategy or complex management theory. One of the most powerful breakthroughs happened when we discussed cash flow forecasting.

Why? Because real leadership is about understanding the bigger picture of a business, taking responsibility, and having the confidence to step up. When people understand how their work impacts the whole company, they take ownership rather than just completing tasks.

The takeaway? Leadership isn’t just for “natural-born leaders”. It can be taught, developed, and improved over time.

5. Investing in Future Leaders Pays Off

If you have rising stars in your business—people with potential who aren’t stepping up yet—investing in their leadership skills now will pay off massively in the future.

Why? Because a team filled with leaders, not just managers, will drive growth, innovation, and accountability—without you having to do all the heavy lifting.

The businesses I’ve worked with that have invested in leadership development have seen:

• More engaged teams that take initiative
• Faster problem-solving and decision-making
• Greater accountability, reducing the need for micromanagement
• Increased confidence in employees who previously hesitated to step up

If you want a business that can run and grow without you having to be involved in every decision, you need to start developing leadership at all levels.

The Wrap-Up

If your business is filled with managers but lacking true leaders, it’s time to change that. A team of leaders will drive growth, innovation, and accountability without you having to do all the work yourself.

So ask yourself:

• Are my managers just delegating tasks, or are they inspiring action?
• Do my employees feel empowered to lead, or are they waiting to be told what to do?
• Am I actively developing leadership skills in my team, or assuming that leadership will just happen naturally?

If you have future leaders in your business and want to help them reach their full potential, let’s talk. Book a free 45-minute coaching session with me, and we’ll put together a plan to transform your managers into leaders who truly make a difference.