I came across this today and wanted to share:
- A boss creates fear; a leader creates confidence.
- A boss creates resentment; a leader breeds enthusiasm.
- A boss says, “I”; a leader says, “We”.
- A boss fixes blame; a leader fixes mistakes.
- A boss knows how; a leader shows how.
- A boss makes work drudgery; a leader makes work interesting.
- A boss relies on authority; a leader relies on cooperation.
- A boss drives; a leader leads.
And I’ll add one more to the list:
A boss parades his power before others, but a true leader uses his influence as opportunity to empower others to be powerful, too.
I think Mark Twain says it better:
“Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great.”