“Leaders must be examples not exceptions.”
-John C. Maxwell
How do the words above resonate with you?
Pause here for a moment and free yourself from distractions:
Take a deep breath in... exhale slowly... deep breath in... exhale slowly... deep breath in... exhale slowly... calm your mind and be present...
Leaders, are you the example or the exception? Think about that for a moment...
Reading John C. Maxwell’s, Leadership Promises for Every Day, inspired the above question with this reminder: The author states:
Many leaders forget the number one management principal in the world: People do what people see. If they want to succeed, leaders must incarnate the life they desire in their followers.
"I think in life you should work on yourself until the day you die".
-Serena Williams.
To continue in the spirit of constant self improvement, take a look at these strategies below.
7 ways to lead by example:
by Maggie Wooll, betterup.com
1. Sharpen your leadership skills: Training can help you build the skills, mindset, and behaviors needed to perform at your peak. Not only can this help you be a better leader, it can also help you build more resilient teams.
What skill would you like to improve on to better your leadership ability?
2. Be constructive when handling conflict: You can’t expect your employees to handle conflict well if you don’t. This means addressing conflict calmly and productively. The goal is to diffuse the tension and work toward a solution.
Instead of defending your decision:
-acknowledge concern
-briefly and neutrally explain your reasoning
-follow it up with a solution
How will you implement the three steps above to better model conflict resolution.?
3. Communicate kindly: A healthy dialogue is important for all interactions. This demonstrates that you care about your team and customers.
On a scale of 1 to 10, how calm do you communicate in challenging situations? Be honest with yourself...
4. Bounce back after failure: If we feel defeated and ashamed of failure, it can prevent us from trying again. It can also spill over into other areas of our lives, keeping us from reaching our fullest potential. Inspire your employees to perk up and try again is by showing them how.
-Tell your team what you learned from your mistake.
-Explain what went wrong.
The key is to dust yourself off and try again, encouraging your employees to do the same.
Think of a time you made a big mistake. What did that failure teach you?
5. Practice ethical leadership: Ethical leadership means behaving according to a set of strong moral principles. These values include integrity, fairness, honesty, respect, and, transparency.
Ethical leadership is a conscious way of perceiving the world around us. It helps us understand our circumstances and respond in healthy ways.
To practice ethical leadership, align your goals and actions with strong values.
-Report unethical behavior
-Do the right thing even when nobody’s watching
-Own up to your mistakes
-Be reliable and dependable
-Treat all employees fairly
-Value every team member
-Follow the rules
-Set the standard for excellence
What can you do to ensure you are modeling ethical leadership?
6. Celebrate diversity: Leading by example means embracing team members from all walks of life. To celebrate diversity, be adamant about hiring a diverse team of employees.
Creating a workforce where all team members feel equal is one the most important ways to lead by example.
How can you be more of an ally and in establishing an environment where all team members feel equal?
7. Take care of yourself: Taking care of yourself and self-care is essential for your well-being and your team’s. After all, it's difficult to be a good leader if you’re not feeling well.
To perform at optimal levels, take care of your physical, emotional, and mental health. Drink plenty of water, get enough sleep, and eat healthy meals every day.
You’ll also need coping tools to manage your stress levels and emotions.
What are you doing to manage personal stress?
“Make it your business to draw out the best in others by being an exemplar yourself.”
-Epictetus.
What are you willing to do?
Don’t miss your opportunity! Be intentional, encourage others to do the same and watch what happens.
You got this!
Coach Tavia
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References:
Maxwell, John C. Leadership Promises for Every Day; Thomas Nelson, Nashville, TN 2003
7 ways to lead by example
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