Just because you can tell someone what to do doesn’t mean you should, or that it’s the best option.
In most situations, probably, you’ll be right—the one in the know, the one with the insight to see the correct course of action, the one with the relevant experience.
But not always…
Sometimes it’ll be one of the team who has the right idea.
And that’s where we see the difference between a boss and a leader: The “boss” asserts their authority, really in insecurity, and insists on their point of view being adopted; whereas the leader has the strength and self-confidence to accept the alternative idea—to admit they may have been wrong, even.
And that’s empowering. It encourages creativity and innovation and leads to advantage.
Over the long haul, the leader and the team will beat the boss and the subordinates.
Which are you: A boss or a leader?