Boss or Leader? This is a question we often see asked on social media these days. It is a very popular subject and everyone seems to have an opinion on leadership and what may happen when it is not present. One of the most famous cases in the aviation industry was the current situation of Qantas and the successive scandals the airline has faced due to the lack of leadership in the last decade. The two major supermarkets have had the same faith. So it doesn’t discriminate, it affects all sectors even the political one.
So what is the difference between a boss and a leader?
In my view, they are chalk and cheese, they could never be put in the same basket. You are either a boss or a leader. Let me explain; for me, a boss is a self-absorbed person who, in the majority of cases cannot do the tasks they delegate or are not interested in doing so, but they delegate and look to their team from above. In their mind, they are superior and they need to show them that. They do not listen to the team’s input because they believe that would make them look weak to them, they make decisions without or with very little consultation and they “command” the team with very little appreciation or respect. Sadly, this will lead to the company’s decline. Team members will start leaving, which will have an effect on the quality of the products or services provided.
A leader, on the other hand, is well aware you don’t change a winning team, so he respects and empowers his team to achieve great results. He is there for the team, should they have any questions or encounter any obstacles. He overcomes those obstacles with them because he is a team player. He has strong ethical values and he respects his team by listening to their input and allowing them to be a part of the solutions. This keeps the team strong and committed and that will show on the company’s bottom line.
How much can a “boss” cost your company?
Although they might even show great results in the first years, the reality is, that having a “boss” managing your business may cost you more than you could have ever imagined. They will try to show some work by trying to reduce the team, since that is a cost, in their mind, they are the only ones you need. Their lack of ethics or values will make the team unhappy, eventually leaving your company. Then is when the bills start.
Because a few team members left, your “boss” hires someone to replace them, preferably with less experience because that equals less pay. Then they have to train the new team members, who eventually see how toxic the culture is in your company and leave. Then your “boss”, starts the cycle again. The damage this can cause to your business is massive, not only financially but also reputationally. It will damage your bottom line with constant training of new team members, and it damages productivity, because the company is always having someone in training who obviously will produce less than an experienced or fully trained worker, once they are trained, they leave and you pay for the cycle all over again.
Reputationally, it can ruin your business, the fact that the team is not producing at full capacity makes your company less competitive. If they make decisions that are damaging to your business, it can lead to a major scandal and not only loss of income but a ruined reputation.
In my view, no entrepreneur can risk having a “boss” managing their business. First, we need to start being leaders ourselves and then we need to surround ourselves with other leaders and a great team. We need to empower our teams to succeed and let every team member feel valued and respected. The results will be amazing.