Leadership vs. Management . Disciplines > Leadership > Leadership vs. Management. Managers have subordinates | Leaders have followers | See also . What is the difference between management and leadership? It is a question that has been asked more than once and also answered in different ways. The biggest difference between managers and leaders is the way they motivate the people who work or follow them, and this sets the tone for most other aspects of what they do. Many people, by the way, are both.