Here is a quick story about true leadership: 

“Russi Mody, Chairman, Tata Steel, was holding a weekly meeting with Tata Steel staff at a football ground in Jamshedpur. A worker took up a niggling issue. He said the Quality and hygiene of toilets for workers was very bad. Whereas, he pointed out that the cleanliness and hygiene of Executive toilets are always very good. Russi asked his top executive how much time he needed to set it right.

The executive asked for a month to set it right. Russi said "I would rather do it in a day. Send me a carpenter.” The next day, when the carpenter came, he ordered the sign boards to be swapped !!! The sign board on the "workers" toilet was changed to "Executives" and the Executive toilet to "Workers".

Russi then gave instructions to inter-change it every fortnight! The quality of both toilets became on par in 3 days. A solution that was immediate and lasting for both!”

Now, how do we know that Russi Mody in this story represents a leader and not a boss? The answer is that the Chairman expressed care and concern towards his workers and their condition. He did this by not only ordering an immediate resolution but also putting in thoughts on overcoming challenges. Moreover, we see that he is a leader from the way he puts himself at the front of the resolution process. 

Pros and Cons of a Leader vs a Boss

Huge differences exist between leaders and bosses. But despite that being a leader is superior to operating as a boss, every leadership tag has its unique upsides and downsides. In this section, we will be exploring the pros and cons of both the leader and boss postures. 

Pros of Being a Leader

• More Trust and Contributions from Subordinates:

One of the many things leaders enjoy is meaningful contributions from their subordinates. As they encourage them to be creative and express their ideas, leaders set themselves in a position to receive lots of input and grow the sense of value of their subordinates. They make these individuals understand that their inputs are accepted, recognized, and useful to the team.  

• The creation of a Generally Healthy Team:

For a leader, the work is usually about constantly inspiring the team and struggling to ensure that every team member’s problem is identified and resolved - as much as possible. Such efforts contribute to a healthy and fully functioning team. It might materialize in the form of employee retention. 

• Greater sense of Personal Fulfillment:

The leader and the boss postures both give a sense of fulfillment. However, leaders (and not bosses) get to feel more of this due to the wholesomeness in their approach and involvement with subordinates. 

• More Knowledge and Expertise and a Higher Learning Curve:

Leaders by default have more knowledge than bosses. The reason is that they are engaged in the team’s work and by so doing, they see and know how things are done. They are also present to see how things could be corrected or improved. Engaging in this manner builds their experience and know-how. This makes them more knowledgeable.   

Cons of Being a Leader

• Risk of Stress:

The process of taking charge, leading the way, and serving subordinates makes the work of a leader strenuous. Stress involved in this role could have a significant impact on the health of an individual.   

• High Expectations:

Compared to bosses, leaders tend to have their subordinates look up to them for mentorship and guidance beyond their line of work or even outside the work environment. These high expectations are the result of the fact that leaders build capacity and create solutions and their subordinates trust them to do so in virtually all situations.   

Pros of Being a Boss

• Quick Results:

This is all a boss cares about. Getting quick results. Because they push employees rather than guide them as leaders do, and because they utilize fear to drive activities, they get quick results. Nevertheless, it is worth mentioning that the approach of bosses creates a wearying and unhealthy environment which could have a long-term impact on employees’ health or well-being. In addition, the results from employees in such situations could be marred with errors and inconsistencies. 

Cons of Being a Boss

• Failure to Listen:

Bosses are fully driven by their ideas and notions. At the least, it takes a superior authority to give an opinion that they would even consider. Their disregard for the opinions, suggestions, and perspective of others become a stumbling block, reducing their learning experiences, robbing them of opportunities, and more importantly, cutting them off from any external assistance or support in time of a crisis. 

• Creating Physical and Emotional Drain on Employees:

The fact that bosses do more directing than assisting, their subordinates are left to handle the brunch of physical tasks. Similarly, since they are always dishing out tasks and not helping to provide solutions, their subordinates are left to handle the brunch of mental and creative tasks. The result? Significant drain on employees with a high chance of breakdown and very low employee retention.  

• Prone to Mistake:

If you’re always in a hurry to produce results and jump on the next task - like bosses usually are - then you’re likely to make mistakes. Sometimes, good things take time. The mere habit of being in a hurry can be linked to impatience and insensitivity, which is the centerpiece for errors and accidents. 

• Marred Relationships:

In the rush to see that things are going quickly, bosses tend to be hurtful. Their impatience may lead them to raise their voices, make rude or derogatory comments, or even become physical towards employees. As a result, they end up building weak relationships and marring any good collaborations or partnerships. 

Here is What Real Employees Think

Search for posts, comments, or feedback from Quora, Reddit, etc. about bosses and leaders

In this section, we want to show you real comments from people about the bosses and leaders in their workplace. 

AF_II posted 

“My current Uber boss:

Banned us from having all forms of snacks - cakes, biscuits, anything - at meetings because of Obesity apparently.

Tried to enforce a rule that said we all had to spend our lunch breaks in one central location (not actually in the building where most of us work) so we could all see what each other was eating(!) and socialize to come up with better work innovations. There are over 250 of us in this unit and the room he wanted us to use seats 30.”

Robert Lucania posted

“Leaders know rocking the boat and standing up for what is right can result in enormous stress. One leader who comes to mind is Modeled the Way with strong values, honesty, fairness, and integrity on/off the job, stood up for the team when required, and helped us when there were challenges.

Make no mistake, we were held accountable and situations could get tense; however, due to the strong example this leader exhibited there was trust and it was easy to show loyalty. Simon Sinek calls it “Leaders who make you feel safe.” We all felt safe resulting in a high performance and innovative organization. Showing strong values, ethics, and honesty goes a long way and pays big dividends as a leader.

Attributes of a Good Leader

What makes a good leader? Here are some of the top attributes. This would also double as actionable steps in your journey to becoming a leader.  

Attentive, Really Listens:

Many people know that even when a boss listens to an opinion, it is only to refute it later. Leaders are more different than that. They go beyond hearing to paying attention and listening. Leaders crave ideas from their employees. Therefore, when an idea is set forth, they listen and try to make meaningful, unbiased sense of it. 

Leads from the Front, By Example:

As is widely discussed, a good leader does not just point the direction. They ride the first chariot in a battle. They lead by example. 

This forefront position allows subordinates to see what a leader is doing and hear what they are saying. It is a chance for them to both learn and be inspired. In addition, the role of a leader strategically protects the rest of the team.

They take the first hit and are not scared of representing and defending the actions, decisions, and interests of everyone. 

Gives Praises and Appreciates Work Done:

Bosses focus so much on reaching their huge and fancy goals that everything else seems minor or irrelevant. Hitting a milestone in any journey should be recognized and celebrated. The people behind this success should also be applauded and the team should be praised for its progress and commitment. A good leader knows this. They don’t fail to apply it either. 

By praising the team and the individuals who make things happen, good leaders build team spirit and significantly boost drive and a sense of fulfillment. In summary, they create a good atmosphere within the organization. They also get to feel happier, increase their own well-being and physical health, and improve their appreciation and outlook on life. 

‍Corrects in Love, and for Growth and Improvement:

Nobody is saying that being a leader automatically puts your team in the right. Like in any other business, there is the chance that an employee could veer off course or the entire team could move in the wrong direction. Mistakes happen and sometimes, poor decisions are made. What then matters is how such a situation is handled. Correcting your team out of love and the desire to see real progress and improvement makes all the difference. 

Creates Value:

A boss or leader wants to know what values, in terms of skills, experience, or knowledge, an employee brings to the table. However, it’s never only about what you can offer. A typical leader can take in a complete novice and groom them enough to stand on their own. This is how they stand out from bosses, and it is their patience in teaching and guiding employees that helps them create significant amounts of value.   

Builds Confidence:

From the start of a project, you will often hear a good leader ring out words like “We can do this!” It is not a coincidence. Leaders are conscious of the emotions they exude. They want to build confidence and inspire or encourage their team. They promote the understanding that the only way to see the mountain top is by first believing that it is possible to reach the top, and that is it okay to take it one step at a time. 

In Summary;

Here is why you should be a leader and not a boss.

• Closely Knitted Work Relationships
• Enjoyable and Productive Environment
• Easy and Smooth Problem Reporting
• Quick Crisis  Recovery

If these look like what you want from your business, it is safe to say that you can have it all by letting go of any boss traits and, instead, growing your skill as a leader. Find more interesting articles like this on our blog.

ALSO READ: The Billion-Idea Businesses That Started Small - Spanx

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