There are many elements that make a good manager, however, one of the critical qualities is leadership. Leadership and management must go hand in hand, but they are not the same thing. Leadership and management are complementary, but it is important to understand how they differ.

Leadership is about vision and innovation, whereas management is about maintenance of excellent standards. A leader innovates and a manager administrates on the innovation. A leader focuses on individuals and inspires them, a manager focuses on systems and structure. A leader always has their eye on the horizon, whereas a manager should be watching the bottom line.

While it is important to be aware of the difference between management and leadership it is vital to understand that a good manager is also a leader. In the infographic below we explore the elements that make a good manager, leadership being a principle feature of good management.

A good leader can enable people to feel like they can influence how practices in the workplace are carried out, leading to heightened levels of job satisfaction and productivity among the workforce

Leadership is the art or process of influencing people to perform assigned tasks willingly, efficiently and competently; without leadership a manager simply cannot be effective.

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The Product Management Perspective: As a product manager you have the opportunity to build great products and have a positive influence on your overall organization. The combination of leadership—among the people you work with—and management—of the systems, process, timelines, etc.—put you in the position to have a major influence on your company.

Searching for what makes a good manager [infographic] via the Brighton School of Business Management