During the first years of my career I tried to avoid management positions and I always chose a technical career path. The main reason was that I met so much not so good managers and I did not want to be like them. I focused on a technical challenges. Of course sometimes I had to do some management stuff: couching of juniors, technical project and product management. That time I found out that I must be more Leader than Manager. Today I am a SW Team Leader and I enjoy this job. So what is the difference between Leader and Manager? Leader has the vision - manager just copy with eyes on bottom line If you want to lead, you need to know exactly where you would like to go, you need to see the horizon and be the original. Leader motivates, empowers, delegates and trusts - manager does command&controls Do not act like parent with children. If you have in your team the pushovers, send them back to the kindergarten. Micromanagement, it is totally obsolete. Leader sees people - man