Manger and executive are words that are very commonplace and most of us feel we know what they mean. It is a fact that many of the roles and responsibilities of a manager overlap with those of an executive. After taking a look at the roles and duties performed by a manager in a bank and an executive in an organization, it often perplexes if the two tiles are synonymous to be used interchangeably. However, there are subtle differences between the two titles that will be highlighted in this article for the benefit of readers who have any doubts.
Executive
All organizations, whether for profit or nonprofit, have a set of executives who are there to implement the policies and programs, which have been approved by the top management. These executives are a part of the administration, and their responsibility is to oversee the implementation of the decisions of the management. If one looks at the functioning of a government in a country, it becomes apparent that it is the executive arm that makes it possible to run the administration or to carry out the day to day functioning of the departments of the government. It is the executive that turns into reality all plans and programs made by the management.
Manager
If you are a football fanatic, you must have seen the importance of the role of a manager in a football team whether it is of a country or a professional club. In fact, the salary and the influence of a football manager is even more than that of the players reflecting the importance attached to the role and responsibility of this title. The word manager comes from management which is all about managing men, and this is what a manger is expert at.
If the organization is small, one may see a single manager coordinating the activities of all employees and departments though, in large organizations, there may be different layers of managerial positions. A manager has more responsibilities than a simple employee irrespective of the size of the company and, therefore, is also higher paid than ordinary employees. A manager of a department is in general responsible for the performance of the employees under him and is answerable to the top management for the output from his department.
What is the difference between Executive and Manager?
A manager is the person who is responsible for the activities of a group of employees in an organization. He has to play the role of a motivator and mentor while guiding the employees to achieve the goals of the organization. There may be supervisors under a manger to help him in his task, but the overall responsibility for the performance of the workers under him lies on the shoulders of a manger. Different departments in a company have differently called managers such as production manager, accounts manager, sales manager, and so on. A manager is at the lower rung of the managerial ladder that he has to climb for a prominent position in the management. These days, managers are hired by celebrities too to look after their careers.
On the other hand, an executive is a person who is responsible for putting into action the plans and policies of the top management of a company. He is the person who has to see that the day to day functioning of the company carries on smoothly without any hitches. In short, an executive has to oversee the administration function of the organization. An executive has a higher standing in an organization than a manager.