Difference Between a Team Leader & an Assistant Manager

by Laurie Reeves

Team leaders and assistant managers oversee the work of other employees. This allows management to focus on objectives that go beyond daily operations. The main difference between the two positions is based upon the amount of decision-making control the assistant manager has compared with that of the team leader. Team leaders might be permanently assigned to a team or have a temporary assignment to oversee a specific project to completion based upon the organization's needs. An assistant management position is usually a permanent position.

Team Leader Roles

The primary responsibility of the team leader is to keep her team motivated. You'll find team leaders in roles in which guidance is needed for a team on a daily basis. In an organization, you might find several teams, each with a leader who serves as the management representative to the team. Team leaders keep the team focused and on track for the immediate task or project. A team leader serves as a mentor to those on the team as she guides and motivates them. She monitors the team's performance and reports to management.

Assistant Manager Roles

Assistant managers might have greater responsibilities and authority levels than those of team leaders. While both roles represent management, the assistant manager is directly under the manager and stands in for the manager in her absence. She has decision-making responsibilities that can affect those she directly manages, whereas a team leader has limited authority when it comes to her team. An assistant manager is typically being groomed for a management position.


While both positions require leadership qualities when it comes to the people they oversee, the team manager doesn't have supervisory responsibilities that include performance evaluations or managing the disciplinary actions for her team. Her focus is her team and the work they all must complete together. An assistant manager might have direct reports whom she not only supervises, but also conducts performance evaluations and makes recommendations for raises. An assistant manager's responsibilities also include other areas of the business with which she's involved.


The environments of the team leader and the assistant manager are usually different as well. You'll find team leaders working in construction in the field, manufacturing or sometimes in an office, but assistant managers typically work inside an office or a building the majority of the time. The team leader works alongside her team, whereas the assistant manager has her own responsibilities separate from those she manages. Most assistant managers do not work alongside those they manage.

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