Leadership vs management

This ESL worksheet on leadership and management is designed for high B1 and B2-level English learners who want to develop professional English skills, explore leadership concepts, and improve workplace communication. It is ideal for students, professionals, and aspiring managers interested in leadership styles, team dynamics, and personal development. The lesson combines leadership and management vocabulary, personality adjectives used to describe managers and leaders, and speaking activities encouraging learners to think critically about influence, authority, and effective team management. Other lessons you might like are: “Phrasal verbs: Leadership and Management“, “Teamwork“, “Micromanagement“, “Emotional intelligence at work“, “Motivation“, “Mastering delegation“.

Speaking: Leadership Warm-Up
The lesson begins with a speaking activity where students discuss the qualities of leaders and managers, share personal experiences, and reflect on what makes leadership effective. Guided questions help learners differentiate between leadership and management, prompting discussion on influence, vision, and day-to-day operations.

Vocabulary: Leadership and Management Terms
Students look at sentences in which people talk about their key functions and identify which functions are more important for leaders, managers, or both. They also match key terms such as “empower,” “mentor,” “oversee,” “tracking,” “challenge,” and “map out” to their definitions, and complete a multiple-choice practice activity.

Listening: Leadership and Management in Practice
Students watch a video called “Management vs leadership“, divided into 3 parts. They complete exercises and summarize main points to reinforce comprehension and vocabulary.

Vocabulary in Context: Personality Adjectives 
Students match sentences to the correct personality adjective (e.g. empowering, approachable, detail-oriented, goal-oriented). Next, learners reflect on their own leadership and management qualities, identifying strengths, areas for development, and concrete actions to improve.

Speaking: Informal Leadership
In pairs or small groups, students discuss everyday leadership opportunities, personal experiences stepping into leadership roles, and strategies for influencing others without formal authority. Guided reflection questions promote critical thinking and practical application of language skills.

For more speaking practice, you can use the conversation cards.