I recently came across a thought-provoking piece by Simon Sinek titled “5 Things Managers Do That Leaders Never Would”. It crystallized something I’ve observed throughout my career: the difference between managing people and truly leading them.
If I were to summarize the core message in one sentence: Leaders elevate teams beyond the basics. They build unbreakable trust and celebrate bold ideas, while managers often get stuck in the mechanics of control.
The 5 Distinctions
1. Managers Hoard Information. Leaders Overshare.
Information is power and how you wield it reveals everything. Managers treat knowledge as currency, share out it out strategically to maintain control. Leaders understand that transparency breeds trust. When people know the “why” behind decisions, they become invested stakeholders, not just task executors.
2. Managers Weaponize Policy. Leaders Bend Rules for People.
Policies exist to serve people, not the other way around. Managers hide behind rulebooks: “Sorry, that’s just the policy.” Leaders recognize that rigid adherence to rules can sometimes work against the very outcomes those rules were designed to achieve.
3. Managers “Fire Fast.” Leaders Coach, Then Help People Land Softly.
The “hire slow, fire fast” mantra has become some kind of gospel. But leaders see separation differently. They invest in coaching and development first. And when parting ways becomes inevitable, they help people transition with dignity as this defines your culture more than any mission statement.
4. Managers Avoid Hard Conversations. Leaders Run Toward Them.
Difficult feedback, uncomfortable truths, unspoken tensions - managers sidestep these landmines. Leaders charge straight in. They understand that avoiding hard conversations doesn’t make problems disappear.
5. Managers Reward Compliance. Leaders Reward Dissent.
This one is counterintuitive but crucial. Managers value “yes people” - team members who follow instructions without question. Leaders actively seek out those who challenge assumptions and push back on ideas. Constructive feedback is the antidote to groupthink and the catalyst for innovation.