Superior vs. Manager — What's the Difference?
By Urooj Arif & Maham Liaqat — Updated on March 8, 2024
A superior is anyone in a higher position in the hierarchy, while a manager specifically refers to a role focused on overseeing operations and people.
Difference Between Superior and Manager
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Superiors in an organization include anyone in the hierarchy who holds a higher position than another employee, encompassing a wide range of roles from supervisors to executives. This term is not limited to a specific job title or function but indicates a relative position within the organizational structure. Managers, on the other hand, specifically refer to individuals who have the responsibility of managing teams, projects, or departments, focusing on planning, decision-making, and coordinating resources and people to achieve organizational goals.
The authority of a superior comes from their position within the organizational hierarchy, which can give them a broad scope of influence beyond just managing people, including strategic planning and policy-making. Managers derive their authority from their designated role, which includes the power to make decisions related to their specific area of management, such as staffing, budgeting, and task delegation.
While all managers can be considered superiors to those they manage, not all superiors are managers. For example, a senior executive may have superiors in the form of higher-level executives or board members but may not directly manage a team or operations. In contrast, a manager's role is inherently about managing aspects of the organization's operations, whether it's people, projects, or resources.
Superiors might engage more in strategic oversight and directional setting for the organization or department, relying on managers to interpret these strategies into actionable plans and ensure they are executed. Managers focus on the day-to-day operations and the development and performance of their team members, ensuring tasks are completed efficiently and effectively to meet organizational objectives.
The relationship between a superior and an employee can be more formal and distant, depending on the organizational structure and culture, as superiors might not interact daily with all levels of staff. Manager-employee relationships tend to be more direct and ongoing, involving regular communication, performance feedback, and personal development discussions.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
Anyone higher in the organizational hierarchy.
Specifically oversees operations and people.
Authority Source
Hierarchical position.
Designated management role.
Scope
Can be broad, including strategic oversight.
Focused on specific areas like teams or projects.
Roles Included
Supervisors to executives, not limited to managing.
Inherently involves managing tasks or people.
Focus
Strategic direction and policy-making.
Day-to-day operations and team performance.
Relationship with Employees
Often more formal and distant.
More direct and ongoing, involving regular interaction.
Compare with Definitions
Superior
Encompasses a range of higher positions.
A department head is superior to team leads and their team members.
Manager
Directly responsible for overseeing operations and/or people.
A project manager coordinates team efforts to meet project deadlines.
Superior
Can influence strategic and policy decisions.
Superiors may approve budgets or set departmental goals.
Manager
Invested in the growth and performance of their direct reports.
Managers identify training opportunities and career development paths for their team members.
Superior
Not solely focused on managing people.
An executive might focus more on investor relations than direct team management.
Manager
Related to specific management areas.
Managers decide on task allocations, performance evaluations, and team development.
Superior
May have limited direct interaction with lower-level staff.
Employees might interact with their immediate superior more often than with higher-level executives.
Manager
Concerned with the efficiency and effectiveness of tasks.
A sales manager monitors daily sales activities and sets targets for the team.
Superior
Often involved in broader organizational planning.
Superiors in the hierarchy play a key role in shaping company strategies.
Manager
Regularly interacts with team members for feedback and support.
Managers often have one-on-ones with employees to discuss progress and concerns.
Superior
Higher in rank, status, or quality
A superior officer
The new model is superior to every other car on the road
Manager
One who directs a business or other enterprise.
Superior
Having or showing an overly high opinion of oneself; conceited
That girl was frightfully superior
Manager
One who controls resources and expenditures, as of a household.
Superior
(of a letter, figure, or symbol) written or printed above the line.
Manager
One who is in charge of the business affairs of an entertainer.
Superior
Further above or out; higher in position.
Manager
One who is in charge of the training and performance of an athlete or team.
Superior
A person superior to another in rank or status, especially a colleague in a higher position
Obeying their superiors' orders
Manager
A student who is in charge of the equipment and records of a school or college team.
Superior
A superior letter, figure, or symbol.
Manager
(management) A person whose job is to manage something, such as a business, a restaurant, or a sports team.
Superior
Higher than another in rank, station, or authority
A superior officer.
Manager
The head coach.
Superior
Of a higher nature or kind.
Manager
(music) An administrator, for a singer or group. en
Superior
Of great value or excellence; extraordinary.
Manager
(software) A window or application whose purpose is to give the user the control over some aspect of the system.
Superior
Greater in number or amount than another
An army defeated by superior numbers of enemy troops.
Manager
One who manages; a conductor or director; as, the manager of a theater.
A skillful manager of the rabble.
Superior
Presuming to be or suggesting that one is morally or socially better than others; disdainful or supercilious.
Manager
A person who conducts business or household affairs with economy and frugality; a good economist.
A prince of great aspiring thoughts; in the main, a manager of his treasure.
Superior
Above being affected or influenced; indifferent or immune
"Trust magnates were superior to law" (Gustavus Myers).
Manager
A contriver; an intriguer.
Superior
Located higher than another; upper.
Manager
Someone who controls resources and expenditures
Superior
(Botany) Inserted or situated above the perianth. Used of an ovary.
Manager
(sports) someone in charge of training an athlete or a team
Superior
(Printing) Set above the main line of type.
Superior
(Logic) Of wider or more comprehensive application; generic. Used of a term or proposition.
Superior
One that surpasses another in rank or quality.
Superior
(Ecclesiastical) The head of a religious community, such as a monastery, abbey, or convent.
Superior
(Printing) A superior character, as the number 2 in x2.
Superior
Higher in rank, status, or quality.
Rebecca had always thought shorts were far superior to pants, as they didn't constantly make her legs itch.
Superior
Of high standard or quality.
Superior
Greater in size or power.
Superior
Beyond the power or influence of; too great or firm to be subdued or affected by.
Superior
Greater or better than average.
Superior
Courageously or serenely indifferent (as to something painful or disheartening).
Superior
(typography) Printed in superscript.
A superior figure or letter
Superior
Located above or out; higher in position.
The superior jaw; the superior part of an image
Superior
Located above or higher, a direction that in humans corresponds to cephalad.
Superior
(botany) of a calyx Above the ovary; said of parts of the flower which, although normally below the ovary, adhere to it, and so appear to originate from its upper part.
Superior
(botany) of an ovary Above and free from the other floral organs.
Superior
(botany) Belonging to the part of an axillary flower which is toward the main stem.
Superior
(botany) of the radicle Pointing toward the apex of the fruit.
Superior
(taxonomy) More comprehensive.
A genus is superior to a species.
Superior
Affecting or assuming an air of superiority.
Superior
(astronomy) of a planet Closer to the Earth than to the Sun.
Superior
A person of higher rank or quality, especially a colleague in a higher position.
Superior
The senior person in a monastic community.
Superior
The head of certain religious institutions and colleges.
Superior
(printing) A superior letter, figure, or symbol.
Superior
One who has made an original grant of heritable property to a tenant or vassal, on condition of a certain annual payment (feu duty) or of the performance of certain services.
Superior
More elevated in place or position; higher; upper; as, the superior limb of the sun; the superior part of an image.
Superior
Higher in rank or office; more exalted in dignity; as, a superior officer; a superior degree of nobility.
Superior
Higher or greater in excellence; surpassing others in the greatness, or value of any quality; greater in quality or degree; as, a man of superior merit; or of superior bravery.
Superior
Beyond the power or influence of; too great or firm to be subdued or affected by; - with to.
There is not in earth a spectacle more worthy than a great man superior to his sufferings.
Superior
More comprehensive; as a term in classification; as, a genus is superior to a species.
Superior
Above the ovary; - said of parts of the flower which, although normally below the ovary, adhere to it, and so appear to originate from its upper part; also of an ovary when the other floral organs are plainly below it in position, and free from it.
Superior
One who is above, or surpasses, another in rank, station, office, age, ability, or merit; one who surpasses in what is desirable; as, Addison has no superior as a writer of pure English.
Superior
The head of a monastery, convent, abbey, or the like.
Superior
One of greater rank or station or quality
Superior
The head of a religious community
Superior
A combatant who is able to defeat rivals
Superior
The largest freshwater lake in the world; the deepest of the Great Lakes
Superior
A town in northwest Wisconsin on Lake Superior across from Duluth
Superior
A character or symbol set or printed or written above and immediately to one side of another character
Superior
Of high or superior quality or performance;
Superior wisdom derived from experience
Superior math students
Superior
Of or characteristic of high rank or importance;
A superior officer
Superior
(sometimes followed by `to') not subject to or influenced by;
Overcome by a superior opponent
Trust magnates who felt themselves superior to law
Superior
Written or printed above and to one side of another character
Superior
Having an orbit farther from the sun than the Earth's orbit;
Mars and Jupiter are the closest in of the superior planets
Superior
Having a higher rank;
Superior officer
Superior
(often followed by `to') above being affected or influenced by;
He is superior to fear
An ignited firework proceeds superior to circumstances until its blazing vitality fades
Common Curiosities
Is the role of a manager limited to people management?
No, managers can also manage projects, processes, or resources, and their role might include a mix of these aspects.
Can a manager have superiors within the managerial ranks?
Yes, managers often report to senior managers or directors, making those positions their superiors.
Can someone be a manager without being a superior?
Typically, being a manager implies being a superior to someone, even if it's just one direct report or overseeing a project team.
What skills are essential for both superiors and managers?
Leadership, communication, decision-making, and strategic thinking are crucial for both roles, albeit applied at different levels of scope and detail.
Do superiors always have direct reports?
Not necessarily; some may have a strategic role without direct management responsibilities.
How does the role of a superior differ in flat vs. hierarchical organizations?
In flat organizations, the distinction between superiors and managers can be less pronounced, with more emphasis on collaboration and less on formal authority.
How do superiors influence company culture?
Superiors set the tone for company culture through their leadership style, policies, and strategic decisions, which can trickle down through the organization.
How do superiors and managers contribute to organizational success?
Superiors set strategic directions and create the framework within which managers operate, ensuring the organization's goals are met through effective management and operational execution.
Is a director considered a superior or a manager?
A director can be both, depending on context; they manage departments or divisions and are superiors to those below them in the hierarchy.
How does one become a superior in an organization?
Advancement to a superior position typically requires a combination of experience, leadership skills, and often, success in managerial roles, along with strategic vision and the ability to influence organizational direction.
What role do superiors play in setting organizational goals?
Superiors are key in setting high-level organizational goals, aligning them with the company's vision and mission, which managers then translate into actionable team or departmental objectives.
Can a superior also perform the role of a manager in smaller organizations?
In smaller organizations or startups, it's common for superiors (like founders or CEOs) to also take on managerial duties due to fewer staff levels and a more hands-on approach.
How do superiors and managers handle underperforming employees?
Managers typically address underperformance directly through performance reviews and improvement plans, while superiors might set policies and frameworks for managing underperformance organization-wide.
Do superiors get involved in conflict resolution among employees?
Superiors may get involved in conflict resolution, especially if it escalates or involves multiple departments, but often, managers handle conflicts at the team level.
How do the responsibilities of superiors and managers differ during organizational changes?
Superiors typically drive and communicate major organizational changes, such as restructuring or shifts in strategic direction, while managers focus on implementing these changes within their teams, managing the impact on day-to-day operations and employee morale.
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Written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
Co-written by
Maham Liaqat
