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Leading by Example Matching Behavior to Word |
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By Vadim Kotelnikov, Founder, Ten3 BUSINESS e-COACH, 1000ventures.com
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"Example is not the main thing in influencing others, it is the only thing." – Albert Schweitzer "Not the cry but the flight of the wild duck leads the flock to fly and to follow." – Chinese Proverb |
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Selecting a New Corporate Leader: 3 Questions to Answer Lessons from Peter Drucker ... Third: Look for integrity. A leader sets an example, especially a strong leader. He or she is someone on whom people – especially younger people – in the organization model themselves... More The True Leader You can't tell a real dancer from the dance. Similarly, you can't tell a real leader from his quest for positive change. "I have always thought the actions of men the best interpreters of their thoughts." – John Locke Continuous Learning and Self-Development Leadership isn't confined to the boardroom. Good leaders know their strengths and limitations, draw on others to face complex problems and are continually learning and developing themselves. Modeling the Way
As a leader, you must establish principles
concerning the way people (constituents, peers, colleagues, and customers
alike) should be treated and the way goals should be pursued.
You must unravel bureaucracy when it impedes action, and create opportunities for victory.4 Case in Point Alexander The Great Alexander the Great, the king of Macedonia, was one of the most superb leaders of all time. He became king at the age of 19, when his father, Philip II, was assassinated. In the next 11 years, he conquered much of the known world, leading his armies against numerically superior forces. Yet, when he was at the height of his power, the master of the known world, the greatest ruler in history to that date, he would still draw his sword at the beginning of a battle and lead his men forward into the conflict. He insisted on leading by example. Alexander felt that he could not ask his men to risk their lives unless he was willing to demonstrate by his actions that he had complete confidence in the outcome. The sight of Alexander charging forward so excited and motivated his soldiers that no force on earth could stand before them.1 Creating a Culture for Innovation
Leadership behavior is arguably the single
most important factor in driving culture.
Transformational Leadership The transformational leader encourages followers by acting as a role model, motivating through inspiration, stimulating intellectually, and giving individualized consideration for needs and goals. Transformational leaders are always visible and will stand up to be counted rather than hide behind their troops. They build trust and strengthen relationships. They stand firm against the winds of resistance and give their followers the courage to continue the quest. They show by their attitudes and actions how everyone else should behave. They also make continued efforts to motivate and rally their followers, constantly doing the rounds, listening, soothing and enthusing.3... More To spark others to perform, you must lead by example. Jack Welch mastery of the four E's of leadership – Energy, Energize, Edge, and Execution – was always in evidence. "He had great energy, sparked others, had incredible competitive spirit, and had a record of execution that was second to none. This is a key of the Welch phenomenon. Had he been lacking in any of the traits he espoused, he would not have commanded such acclaim."
Though many at
GE have
been good at their jobs, and have been able to motivate and explain,
but no one has Jack Welch's ardor. He was GE's number one
cheerleader and called himself "the advertising manager of our
company." He had the zeal and the optimism and a lexicon of a
winning football coach: "exciting", "remarkable", "staggering",
"incredible". These are the words Welch employed to describe one of
the powerful enterprises in the world.6
As W. James McNerney Jr., head of GE Aircraft Engines, noted: "The excitement comes from within him and is extremely contagious. He's a tremendous motivator. He's excited and he gets you excited and you're always moving forward. He keeps it simple. The differentiator between GE and many other companies is that there are more people moving in the same direction and with the same enthusiasm. Jack might like this on his tombstone. 'I wasn't smarter that anyone else, but I helped 270,000 people make me look smarter than most.' " The revolutionary massive changes introduced by Jack Welch worked. By the mid-1990s GE had become the strongest company in the United States and the most valuable company in the world, as measured in market capitalization.
Case in Point Xenophon Xenophon authored the first systematic book on leadership, two thousand years ago, and it is still one of the best. Xenophon was a general. His book 'Our Military Expedition to Persia' tells the story of the fight to return to the Black Sea against overwhelming odds. It is a story of courage, improvisation, and discipline, self-sacrifice, and above all leadership. Xenophon practiced leadership in a different time and a different place, but the lessons of his experiences, the principles or laws of integrity, commitment, duty and the others have eternal value. The Greeks were superior fighters, both tactically and technologically. They knew how to fight as a team, and their swords and shields were uniquely adapted for their phalanx warfare. They also possessed the most salient edge of all: leadership. Xenophon, like all Greek commanders, led from the front; he was seen in the thick of combat, never flinching, always seeming to do the right thing. Historian Victor Davis Hanson attributes Xenophon's success to the superior Greek culture – not superior in a racial sense, but superior in the sense of what we today would call shared values, common purpose, and genuine leadership.5... More How To Lead Creative People By: Max DePree
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Bibliography:
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"Opportunities are Unlimited," Brian Tracy
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"The Leadership Crash Course," Paul Taffinder
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"Transformational Leadership," ChangingMinds.org
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"The Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership." Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner
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"Great Motivation Secrets of Great Leaders," John Baldoni
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"Jack Welch and the GE Way," Robert Slater, New Delhi
