We explore the main differences between boss and leader, two concepts that are very useful in the business field and other trades, but that present fundamental distinctions both in their definition and in their bases.
Of course, nothing could be further from the truth. Whether from a biological point of view (yes, humans are still conditioned in part by our instincts) or sociological, the social position of the individual continues to be a force of motivation and action, whether at both the own and community level.
Thus, terms such as boss, leader, subordinate, class power and many other words associated with social stratification remain, fortunately or unfortunately, part of the collective mind. If you want to know the differences between boss and leader, the two terms that concern us in this space, continue reading.
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How is a boss different from a leader?
To frame both terms and find their bridges of union and distances, it is first necessary to define what a social role is, a general word that encompasses the position of the individual in a community. This is defined as thebehavior guidelines that society imposes and expects from an individual(social actor) in a given situation. The role of each individual entity in society is conditioned by three different guidelines:
- Required behaviors.
- Permitted behaviors.
- Prohibited behaviors.
That is, the social role of each individual depends on various factors, both intrinsic (mental and will) and extrinsic (limitations and norms). When the role played by a specific entity agrees with what society expects of it, we can say that we are facing the expected role.
This term is not without controversy, as several authors define human identity as “the totality of an individual’s roles in the community,” while others argue that “it is the essential core of the individual, which becomes visible only after all his roles have been set aside.” So, focusing this duality on the terms that concern us today, it is normal to ask:
These types of philosophical issues can be discussed in another space, because once the theme in which we are going to move is introduced, it is time to explore the differences between boss and leader.
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1. A leader influences; A boss rules
Of course, the first of the differences between the two terms lies in their definition. From a conceptual point of view, a leader is defined as “a person with the ability to influence others, whether or not he occupies a position of power”, whileThe term boss receives a less friendly explanation: “a person who occupies a position of power with respect to another person or group”. Here, in this arrangement of words, we find one of the key differences between the two terms: the distinction between “ability” and “position”.
We enter a conjectural terrain, because when moving in social terminology, the differentiation is as present as the editor wants to present it. Still, a generalized classification of social status can be made according to its origin:
- Assigned status (inheritance) : its origin lies in previous social factors that have traditionally been inherited.
- Acquired status (meritocracy) : Status is assigned to the individual based on merit and actions.
If we take into account that leadership capacity is the set of management skills that an individual has to influence the way others act, we can say that leadership is a partly biological trait, since it has a high component of empathy. , which is explained by the underlying mechanisms described by neuroscience. On the other hand, the term “boss” refers to a position, a position, a social construction lacking intrinsic skills.
Thus, a boss can be one by assigned status, for example, in the event that the person in question inherits a company from a relative. On the other hand, leadership capacity is not materially inherited (from a conceptual point of view), since empathy, experience and handling of key situations do not come from an initial privileged establishment. In short: boss can be born, leadership is earned.A boss can be a good leader, but of course not all bosses have leadership skills .
2. In nature there are leaders, not bosses
Taking into account that the boss is the superior or head of a corporation, a department, a party or trade, we can see that we do not stop moving in terms of a social construct. We cannot say that an animal in nature is “chief” as suchtag. Instead, the term “leader” can be applied to nature.
Surely you have ever heard of the “alpha male” of the pack. Well, this term is widely interconnected with leadership ability. For example, common chimpanzees use force, intelligence, and political alliances to establish and maintain alpha position. It is necessary to emphasize that breaking through in a crude way is not even in nature an adequate mechanism, since this can generate problems among the members of the group. In both the natural and human worlds, good leadership ability is defined bytrust, inspiration, empathy, and communication driven toward a common goal.
Thus, another of the essential differences between boss and leader is that the former is nothing more than a terminological level in an attempt to classify an organization from a structural point of view. Instead, the leader responds to something much more biological, even primal, if we get romantic.
3. The brain of a leader connects with the team
Social neuroscience is a discipline that studies the events in the human brain when people interact. A relatively recent and shocking discovery is that, beyond a psychological terrain, leadership is grounded in quantifiable bases through the biochemistry of the individual. Let us explain.
It can be said that the brain of the leader almost replicates the chemical processes of one or more members of the teamhe is in charge of. This promotes a clearly beneficial neural interconnection between subordinates and superiors. Beyond the conceptual level, some structures have been identified that are activated in this type of process: mirror neurons, those that are activated when an individual executes an action and when they observe that same action being replicated by another, even more if it is a conspecific.
Thus, we find that leadership is a set of skills managed both psychologically and biologically. A leader is defined by self-awareness, emotional intelligence (empathy), discretion, trust, inspiration, and process assessment. On the other hand, as it is a term devoid of intrinsic value, the boss has few characteristics that, yes, are typical of his position: authority, management capacity and little else.
4. Not all leaders are good and not all bosses are bad
It is common to read in motivational portals that a leader is a magnanimous entity with dazzling management and execution skills, while a boss is a tyrant who bases his position on the abuse of authority, lack of empathy and obedience out of fear. . I wish things were that easy.We must not think that all bosses are tyrants or that all leaders act for the good, because, as we have seen throughout history with, for example, the leaders of destructive sects, this is not the case.
According to Maximilian Karl Emil Weber, a German philosopher and economist, there are three types of leaders: charismatic, traditional, and legitimate. A traditional leader (that is, one who inherits his position by family line in a kingdom, for example), can be equal to or more tyrannical than any boss or superior position in a social structure. We wanted to differentiate the terms “leader” and “boss” in that the first is based on a series of individual cognitive abilities, but as we have seen, other authors also postulate that a leader is a terminological concept that can make a mere allusion to a social heritage.
Last conclusions
This type of terminological conglomerates reach the level of distinction that the author wants to consider. Neither a leader has to be a perfect entity, nor a boss a tyrant. For the sake of differentiation, we can simplify things by saying thatleadership involves many more biological and psychological components than the word “boss”, which only alludes to a superior position. However, things are certainly not so easy when it comes to classifying human organizational systems.
References
- Foster, M; Gilby, I; Murray, C; Johnson, To; Wroblewski, E; Pusey, A (2009). “Alpha Male Chimpanzee Grooming Patterns: Implications for Dominance Style”. American Journal of Primatology 71
- Goleman, D., & Boyatzis, R. (2008). Social intelligence and the biology of leadership. Harvard Business Review, 86(9), 86-95.
- Head, Royal Spanish Language Academy. Retrieved September 26th from: https://dle.rae.es/chief
- Leader, Royal Spanish Academy of the Language. Retrieved September 26 at: https://dle.rae.en/l%C3%ADder
- Specular neuron, neurocienciasmexico.org. Collected on September 26 at https://neurocienciasmexico.org/neurona-specular/
To the classic question “what do you do?” I always answer “basically I am a psychologist”. In fact, my academic training has revolved around the psychology of development, education and community, a field of study influenced my volunteer activities, as well as my first work experiences in personal services.