What is a lead?
A lead, also called a team lead or team leader, is a professional who guides and encourages a group of people. They inspire, motivate and provide suggestions to help their team members reach certain goals at work. Companies in any industry may hire leads to guide teams. A lead’s duties can vary depending on the industry, company and job, but common responsibilities may include answering questions, providing resources and sharing team progress.
A team lead often works in a similar role as their team members, although they have additional leadership duties. For example, a sales team lead may guide a group of sales associates. This professional performs sales duties, similar to their teammates, while also encouraging growth.
What is a manager?
A manager is a senior professional who supervises or oversees a team. They can work in a variety of industries. Their responsibilities can vary but often include providing directions, organizing tasks, analyzing efficiency and monitoring team progress.
In some companies, they share the duties of their team members, but in others, they direct the team from a more external role. For example, in a small retail store, a store manager may perform similar duties to their team members. In a large retail store, the regional manager may work in an external office, tracking data and store results.
Lead vs. manager
Companies may use the term leader, manager or a combination of both for senior roles. For example, a marketing company may call all senior positions leaders, rather than managers. In this situation, a leader may perform the duties of both lead and manager. When exploring the differences, consider researching the terms your company uses to ensure you understand the different roles and duties.
Responsibilities
The responsibilities of a team lead and manager can vary depending on the company. Sometimes, these two roles can have similar, or even overlapping, duties. Here’s a comparison of the common responsibilities of each role:
Perspective
In many companies, the role of manager and team lead require different perspectives or focuses. A team lead’s duties often focus more on encouraging growth and building positive relationships. They focus primarily on their team members and their progress.
A manager’s duties focus more on efficiency data. Many managers celebrate progress and focus on their team members too, but their daily duties are often more related to data and productivity than a team lead’s duties.
