These days, the notion of leadership has evolved dramatically. Gone are the days when leadership was seen as the same as management, with bureaucracy and autocratic behaviour central to this. Leadership and management are often used interchangeably but they represent two different approaches to guiding and directing teams. Management is about processes, tasks, and efficiency. It’s the tactical side of getting things done—setting goals, allocating resources, and measuring performance. Whereas leadership is about people. It’s about vision, inspiration, trust, and empowerment.
Management is necessary to keep things running, but leadership is what makes people thrive. Good managers ensure things get done; great leaders ensure that people grow. A manager might solve a problem, but a leader makes you feel like you can solve it yourself, next time, with greater confidence. A manager gives you tasks; a leader gives you purpose. Leadership is the decisive factor in creating a work environment where people feel valued, motivated, and eager to contribute their best. As we approach International Leadership Day, Sequana’s Director – Strategy, Transformation & Delivery, Melissa Thek and Director – Marketing, Communications & Engagement, Zoe Walsh share their own experiences and insights on why real leadership matters.
Experiences that shape leadership style
When Melissa thinks about the leader she aspires to be, one image consistently comes to mind; she wants to be the kind of leader her people trust, the one they remember not just for the decisions she made but for how she made them feel,
“I want to be the leader who encourages their growth and development, who sees them as individuals rather than just roles to be filled. I want to create an unspoken understanding, a connection that transcends the transactional nature of work,” says Melissa.
“This isn’t just a theoretical ideal, but a reflection drawn from my own career experience. Over the years, I’ve been fortunate enough to work under a few leaders who embodied these traits, and the impact they’ve had on me has been profound. In fact, it’s kept me buoyed when I’ve had to endure the opposite: leaders who exploited, neglected, or contradicted themselves in actions and words. This stark contrast has taught me something crucial about the difference between leadership and management—and why leadership matters far more.”
For Zoe, it was a negative experience with one of her first managers that highlighted the leader she did not want to be and how she went against the grain to do everything she could to do the opposite.
“They say you never forget the leaders who inspire you, support you and challenge you to grow and be the best you can be. Well, the same can be said for leaders who do the opposite. Those who lead with fear, blame their team when things go wrong, have zero respect for boundaries and are threatened when their team excels,” says Zoe.
“Whilst it didn’t feel that way at the time, I was lucky to have a boss like this early on in my career. I deliberately say boss, as there was no leadership on display. Looking back now with experience and hindsight, I feel sorry for this person; sorry that they doubted their own ability, lacked emotional intelligence and likely didn’t have many positive experiences with their own managers throughout their career – and unfortunately for them, their reputation precedes them,”
“This was when I decided I wanted to lead with kindness, and empathy and inspire my teams to deliver on organisational goals with a shared purpose, rather than with an iron fist.”
The Impact of Good and Bad Leadership
As Mel reflects on her career, the leaders who’ve left a lasting impression weren’t those who simply directed her to complete tasks. Instead, they were the ones who took the time to know her—not just her role, but who she is as a person.
“These leaders understood my strengths, acknowledged my weaknesses, and offered guidance that fostered both my personal and professional growth. They were steady, transparent, and supportive, even when things weren’t going well. More importantly, they didn’t just manage the work I did; they nurtured the potential they saw in me,”
“But, like Zoe and many others, I’ve also experienced the opposite. Leaders who contradicted themselves, who exploited my effort without recognising it, and who failed to provide the support I needed to flourish. Leaders who saw me as a tool to achieve their objectives, rather than a person who could contribute meaningfully if given the right environment. These leaders left me feeling drained, undervalued, and sometimes even demotivated.”
And here the issue lies when it comes to bad leadership. The impact that it has on people – both personally and professionally.
“The anxiety! The tears! I can still remember the feeling in my chest and stomach as a 21-year-old on a Sunday night before another week of work,” says Zoe.
“I was desperate to please my boss, so I would work all hours of the night, over the weekend, and do personal errands for her. But it was never enough. There was never appreciation or recognition, a real blame culture and a lack of empathy and genuine care. You couldn’t be human, any emotion was seen as weakness and you could forget about your time or boundaries being respected,”
“I recently heard the saying that a good leader takes the blame and shares the fame, and that rings true. I am happy to report, that since this experience early on in my career, most of my managers have been exceptional in doing this and have shown me what true leadership is.”
Mel recalls the increased stress that went far beyond typical work pressure. Under poor leadership, she experienced the anxiety of feeling guilty when she had to call in sick, knowing deep down that it wasn’t just her health in question, but her commitment.
“When my child was sick, I found myself grappling with guilt and stress, torn between being a good parent and fearing how my absence might be perceived at work. In these environments, the fear of being seen as less dedicated takes hold. The impact of these negative environments was palpable—not just in team performance, but in the mental and emotional well-being of the individuals within it,”
“I remember hesitating to speak up about feeling overwhelmed, worried that it would lead to my leader questioning my abilities. It’s a dangerous cycle. The more overwhelmed I became, the less likely I felt to ask for help—afraid that needing support would reflect poorly on me. And so, the pressure mounted, and burnout followed close behind.”
When leadership creates a culture of fear and self-doubt, employees feel like they have to prove their dedication constantly, even at the cost of their own health and well-being. It isn’t just the work that becomes hard—it is the emotional toll of constantly feeling like you have to choose between doing a good job and taking care of yourself or your family.
The Culture of a Good Leader
In contrast, some leaders do the opposite—leaders who not only support but foster an entire team culture where people feel empowered and trusted.
Mel still thinks about these leaders often, even long after they parted ways, their influence remains. “They were the ones who created environments where asking for help was encouraged, not penalised. They fostered a team spirit where collaboration and innovation thrived because we weren’t afraid of making mistakes or being judged for needing time to recharge,”
“One leader, in particular, created a culture that made a lasting impact on me. It wasn’t just about how they managed the workload—it was about how they created a space where each of us felt valued as individuals. This leader made it clear that our health, both physical and mental, was a priority. They actively encouraged us to take the time we needed when we were sick or when life threw unexpected challenges our way. The result? A team that was not only highly productive but deeply committed to each other and to the work we did,” says Mel.
“The culture they built was one of psychological safety, where it was okay to ask for help, to admit when you were struggling, and to know that doing so wouldn’t be held against you. We worked hard, but it never felt like we had to prove our worth through burnout. Instead, we were trusted to manage our own workload and supported when we needed it. This culture allowed us to take risks, innovate, and push beyond our comfort zones because we knew we had a leader who would catch us if we stumbled.”
Fortunately, Zoe went on to have some brilliant leaders who inspired her, encouraged continuous learning and development, provided and asked for constructive feedback, displayed accountability and led with integrity and humility.
It was however, when she became a leader herself, she encountered a new challenge; how to balance leadership and friendship, “I went too far the opposite way when I first took on a leadership role. I cared more about being liked and was told on occasion I was too casual or relaxed with my teams,”
“Whilst it allowed me to connect with people and build relationships, fostering a positive and fun team culture and environment, I had to learn thanks to some brilliant mentors, that being respected was equally as important. I had to face challenging conversations head on and make tough decisions to ensure organisational goals and results were achieved. But I could do this with empathy and kindness and strike a balance to inspire and motivate my teams to perform, grow and be the best they can be,”
Why Leadership Matters More Than Management
So why does all of this matter? Because in our careers, we will inevitably encounter both types of leaders—the good, the bad, and those in between. It’s easy to fall into the trap of blaming poor leadership for our own discontent or lack of progress at work. And while bad leadership can certainly stifle growth and hinder engagement, the reality is that we have choices. Choices around what we proactively look for, what we accept and what we enable.
When faced with bad leadership, we can seek out environments where leadership is valued, advocate for ourselves when it’s lacking, or even choose to walk away when the fit isn’t right. Most importantly, we can take the lessons from our negative experiences and commit to being the kind of leader we needed when we weren’t supported.
“I’ve realised that great leadership is about far more than driving results—it’s about creating an environment where people feel seen, understood, and supported. Leadership is not just about managing tasks and achieving goals; it’s about inspiring others to achieve their best while also fostering their personal growth,” says Mel.
“The leaders I remember most are the ones who cared about me as a whole person, not just the work I did. These leaders made me feel valued, not for my productivity alone, but for my potential. They recognised when I was struggling and supported me through it. And they never made me feel like my worth was tied to how many hours I clocked or how little time I took off.”
Leadership is about legacy and the impact leaders leave on people long after they’ve moved on. The leaders who continue to influence are the ones who lead with empathy, authenticity, and trust, creating cultures where stress is managed, not magnified, and where people feel empowered to bring their whole selves to work.
According to the Australian Institute of Management’s report, Evolution of Leadership: Navigating Change in 2024, emotional intelligence and communication are the top two most valued leadership skills in 2024 – and we need to celebrate and embrace the leaders who bring these skills to the forefront.
Leadership isn’t transactional; it’s transformational after all.
That’s why leadership matters more than management. It’s the difference between people who show up just to get through the day and people who show up because they feel valued, supported, and inspired to contribute their best.
And it’s why, as Zoe and Mel continue to reflect on their own leadership journey, they strive to be the kind of leader that their teams will remember—not just for what we achieved, but for how they worked together, how they supported each other, and how they grew. Because in the end, that’s the kind of leadership that truly matters.
