Research<\/a> shows that great leaders can have an extremely powerful effect on an organization in virtually every business outcome that is measurable, including engagement, turnover, and profitability. But unfortunately, poor leadership has an equally negative effect, one that trickles down throughout all levels of an organization.<\/p>\nIf we want to reap the benefits of great leaders and minimize the drag of poor leadership, we must model great leadership to our people\u2014not just with our words, but with our actions.\u00a0I love this quote from General Colin Powell: \u201cThe most important thing I learned is that soldiers watch what their leaders do. You can give them classes and lecture them forever, but it\u2019s your personal example they will follow.\u201d<\/p>\n
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So, here are four ways leaders can ensure they are setting the right example and modeling great leadership.<\/p>\n
1. Start with self-leadership<\/h3>\n
Self-leadership precedes all other types of leadership. It is impossible to lead your teams and organizations with excellence if you are not leading yourself well. From your priorities (both personal and professional) to how you communicate to how you react and respond, your people are learning from what you do. They are making both conscious and subconscious decisions about whether you are a leader worth following every day based on your example. And setting a great example doesn\u2019t happen by accident. You need to be intentional about how you are always growing and developing as a leader. Like it or not, as a leader you are constantly setting the pace and direction when it comes to leadership in your organizations and teams.<\/p>\n
2. Be clear about expectations<\/h3>\n
If you want others to follow your example, it\u2019s easier if they understand what is expected of them, especially around leadership. Be sure to clearly outline and articulate the actions and behaviors that align with great leadership in your culture. When working with clients, I often start by identifying the convictions that define the company and culture the leaders are creating. Then, we create specific behaviors that align with each conviction. If consistently communicated and demonstrated, every team member will understand what it looks like when great leadership is being lived out. This creates a roadmap for them to follow as they are looking for ways to develop their leadership.<\/p>\n
3. Ask more questions, give fewer answers<\/h3>\n
Great leaders are experts at asking questions. Rather than being quick to provide an answer, they use questions to better understand situations and bring out the best in their teammates. This allows them to develop leadership capacity across the organization and bring the best thinking and ideas out of others. One question leaders can never ask enough is, \u201cIs there anything I can do to help you?\u201d Not only will the answers help you serve your team better, it demonstrates that leadership is about serving, not being served.<\/p>\n\t\t