Leadership: Be An Example

Thegreatest leaders in history were the ones who had the ability tocommand the respect of the people who followed them. This issomething that they earned. It was not blindly given to them. Onecan be given authority by simply being in a position. However, noposition can garner respect. It is the actions of the individualthat lead to others providing it.

Oneof the most basic ways to gain the respect of those which you haveauthority is to be an example. Whatever you preach, be certain thatyou are living it. Management is not about issuing orders. It isabout making decisions that are to the benefit of the organization. Sometimes, these decisions come in conflict with the “troops”. How these challenges are surmounted is partially contingent upon therespect the manager has from the personnel.

Itseems that a lot of people in authority operate with the attitude “doas I say, not as I do”. This is a surefire way to instillresentment among those you are leading. They begin to question whyshould they do something that you are not willing to do. There is alot of legitimacy to this. How can you expect someone else to dowhat you are not willing to do yourself? Under normal circumstances,this is a misguided way to run an organization.

Militaryhistory is littered with leaders of all kinds. There are those whoexcelled with a fair number who flopped. Nevertheless, the image ofthe battlefield offers a wonderful example of the different ways tolead. Picture a general on horseback telling the troops to chargewhile hanging safely in the rear. Compare this with the same generalin front of his troops shouting “charge” and rushing forwardtowards the enemy. Obviously, the second is an example of a leaderwilling to do what he asks of others.

Leadingthrough your actions is one effective way to gain the respect of yourstaff. Another, is to exemplify the characteristics that theorganization is promoting. If you are seeking honesty, a willingnessto work, and intelligence, it is best to have these traits yourself. People are more apt to stay and work late if their manager is puttingthe hours in also. Similarly, if a leader is willing to “gethis/her hands dirty”, the organization knows that person is notlooking down at them. Businesses make the lines of command clear. Amanager who is a working part of them team will have the respect ofthose personnel.

Anotherway to garner their esteem is to keep the lines of distinction clear. Too often, managers become friends with those whom they are leading. This creates the situation where a mixture of emotions can come intoplay. Leading involves the making of decisions. Unfortunately, itis impossible to keep everyone in an organization happy. There willbe some who feel that a particular choice negatively affects them. In these instances, if there is a “friendship” between themanager and staff, some will take it personally. In a healthymanagerial position, the organization will realize that youselections are based upon what is best for the company without regardto personal likes.

Theexample you set is the one that will filter through your team. Inthe era of rapid change, one of the qualities needed is the abilityto learn. When people work for managers who fall behind in terms ofadvancements, their respect dwindles. I personally incurred asituation where I worked for someone who had no idea what ourbusiness was about. To make matter worse, since he did nothing toimprove his level of expertise, he was just as uninformed 6 monthslater. He had the authority that came with the position. However,he had did not have the respect of anyone on our team.

Thedays of operating in an “ivory tower” are history. People aretoo transient to work under such conditions. By the time individualsreach their mid 30's, they have worked under a variety of differentmanagers. This gives them a wide scope of experience. If you cancurry their respect, the chances of retaining them are greatlyincreased.

Peoplewatch what their leaders are doing. The papers are filled withpeople in positions of power who are caught behaving in anembarrassing manner. These individuals did something when theythought nobody was looking. Of course, someone was watching. Thesame is true within your organization. Like children, employees takenotice immediately when your words and actions split. Effectiveleaders are most concerned about “walking the walk”.

Itis difficult to be a living, breathing example of all that you wantyour team to be. However, to be the most effective manager, this isabsolutely critical. A leader cannot lead if others are not willingto follow. Mutiny is not something that only happens on the highseas. Gaining the respect of your personnel is a guaranteed way toensure they will follow you. Set the example for the behavior youwant and them show them that you expect them to do the same.

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