Leadership Value Of the Day: Leading By Example

Leadership Value Of the Day: Leading By Example

There are many people who are in a leadership positions that think they know what this means already. However it is not always as simple as you may think. Leading by example is not just knowing your job, or even knowing the jobs of the people that you are leading. Leading by example means taking the time to foster the people around you. Helping them to cultivate the skills that will help them to grow. This sets the environment for growth as well as positive energy. The energy you give off is a great start to leading by example. You cannot expect those around you to be positive and motivated if you are sucking all of the energy out of them as soon as they come around you. We know how important the Golden Rule is when we deal with people on a daily basis, however we should also treat all people well; even if we do not have interactions with them on a daily basis. We must take a page from the life of a man that was a symbol for a country and lead his people by example. Nelson Mandela lived to the ripe age of 95, and though a great portion of his life was spent behind concrete walls he did not allow that to turn his heart nor his mind towards bitterness, and revenge. Setting an example is not often easy. Many times it tests the mettle of a person and exposes what really resides within. If you aspire to be great and to leave a legacy beyond that of your own brief existence on this planet, than you must learn to lead by example. We all fall short of expectations in life but that does not mean we should not strive for better. None of us are perfect but we must still run towards it. Remember that your organizations attitude reflects the leadership it is under. Maintaining a positive attitude, admitting when you need help, and acknowledging your own faults are great starting blocks for building a leader that can lead by example.