Have you ever worked for someone who was a complete hypocrite? Many of us likely have. For every good leader, it seems as if there are a hundred that don’t lead by example. If a boss tells everyone it’s important only to take a one-hour lunch break but then is consistently gone for at least two hours, what does that say to their employees? What impact will that have on the organizational culture?
Not only does it make them feel frustrated and ruin the culture, but it won’t take long until they start taking longer at lunch as well. If a leader sets a standard and does not follow it themselves, why would anyone follow that leader or that standard? They won’t. Throughout this article, we will discuss why leadership, by example, is so important and 5 ways to do so.
Understanding Leadership by Example
Regardless of their overall leadership style, all great leaders lead by example. But, what exactly is leading by example? Leadership, by example, is a way to help pave the path ahead and inspire those around you to take the same leaps. When you’ve already done something or achieved something, it’s easier for others also to believe that they can do it, too. It paints a clear picture of what is possible. By being successful in already accomplishing these tasks, others will be more inclined to follow your leadership and replicate your behaviors.
Leading by example, is critical for your leadership and business to be a success. Therefore, the behavior you display will set the standards for those around you. For example, if you act positively, your actions will influence others to behave and respond in ways that are valuable and appropriate for organizational culture. However, if you act like rules and regulations don’t matter, your staff will mimic this behavior. Plus, you will likely lose credibility and respect in the process. Not following a method of leadership, by example, can also lead to other adverse side effects.
What Happens When Leaders Do Not Lead by Example
Unsuccessful leaders that try to avoid leading by example usually follow the “do as I say, not as I do” philosophy. This simply translates to “do not follow how I behave; just listen to and obey my instructions.” This phrase first appeared in 1654 in a book called Table-Talk by John Selden, where he was referring to religious preachers practicing this philosophy. However, it seems to have spilled over into the workplace as well.
Some examples of this type of behavior in the workplace could be a boss not allowing cellphones to be used during work hours but spending half the day on their phone. Another instance is a boss that tells everyone that they have to stay until 5:00 pm sharp every day but regularly leaves whenever they want.
While these are common, smaller examples, there are many more significant ones as well. If you’re looking for a real-life example, take the case of Eddie Lampert, the CEO of Sears and Kmart. He was widely criticized for paying out $25.3 million in bonuses to himself and other top executives while laying off millions of workers that barely made a living wage. This type of autocratic leadership often leads to unhappiness at work and people who would see you go down than ever listen to you. This is not the type of leader you want to be.
Leaders Who Did Lead by Example
Look below for a list of three leaders who used leadership by example as a method in creating highly successful companies.
Walt Disney
Walt Disney was a very passionate man who had a clear vision. Even though he knew what he wanted and paved a lot of the way himself, he knew he could not be successful on his own. For example, after the massive success of Snow White in the 1930s, Disney was going to be able to build their first real studio in California. To fill this studio, he needed to hire hundreds of artists that could match his passion and vision.
Therefore, he traveled the entire country to hire the best artists and even offered to pay for their schooling to give them the best training. Then he worked right alongside them during every major production. You’d be hard-pressed to find a photo of Disney where a team of other animators doesn’t surround him.
This type of immersive leadership is a method of leading by example. Disney’s strong work ethic inspired everyone that worked for him to work just as hard, leading to the creation of the Happiest Place on Earth.
Mary Kay Ash
Mary Kay Ash is the founder of Mary Kay Cosmetics. Ash’s vision was simple; she wanted to level the playing field, promote based on merit, and focus on the individual success of each person who sold for her. She led by example by both believing in herself and everyone on her team. By focusing on the personal success of her workers and helping them sell their knowledge instead of pushing profitable products, Ash turned her small business into an empire.
Another essential factor of Mary Kay’s success is that Ash believed in rewarding hard work. While she lived a great life, she thought her workers should, too. She often gave away lavish gifts and vacations to top performers, most notably, the highly coveted pink Cadillac. Ash showed what was possible and helped others follow in her success. This type of management style is the epitome of leadership by example.
Howard Schultz
Howard Schultz was not the original CEO of Starbucks, but he’s credited for making it the success it is today. His leadership style is focused on honesty, respect, and trust. He promotes from within, offers paid schooling and training, and puts the welfare of his employees first. He provides stock options, comprehensive health insurance, and a fair living wage. Schultz likes to promote an environment of leadership by example with himself and all of his management team. This ensures success from bottom to top.
You, too, can lead a successful workforce just like the three CEOs above. Keep reading below to find the 5 ways to lead by example.
5 Ways to Lead by Example
1. Walk the Walk
The first way to lead by example is to walk the walk. This consists of following the rules and standards that you set for everyone else. It also means going above and beyond what you ask your employees to do. You should be proactive in your leadership and initiate action yourself instead of waiting for someone else to do it.
2. Take Responsibility for Results
You must take responsibility for the outcome of situations, both good and bad. For example, if your team’s sales have dropped for the quarter, as your leader, you must accept responsibility for that failure. The best leaders in the world work to pass on the credit and take the blame. On the contrary, corrupt leaders will take all of the credit and pass on the blame.
3. Adopt a Growth Mindset
To find real success, we must always keep growing, learning, and setting new goals. That doesn’t mean just you but also your team. Focus on developing your skills while passing this knowledge on to your team. It’s important to realize that neither your abilities nor the abilities of your team are fixed. There is always room for improvement and growth. By focusing on always cultivating and increasing skills, you’ll ensure your victory, your team’s victory, and, therefore, the ultimate success of your business.
4. Get Over Yourself
It’s critical to get over yourself if you want to be a good leader. The worst leaders are egotistical and put themselves before everyone else. Therefore, they don’t lead by example because they expect others to do the work for them. You must let go of your ego and focus on a higher goal to succeed. Then, boost up everyone around you so they can achieve their goals, too.
5. Lead for Happiness
Everyone wants to be happy. Thus, you should work to lead for happiness for yourself and your team. Think about what type of leadership would make you and your team the happiest, then be that leader. Leadership for happiness includes consideration for your team, leading by example, and all of the other tips above. Leading by example, is essentially the path to leadership for happiness.
Summary
Being a good leader means working to lead by example. Not leading by example consists of thinking of only yourself, taking all of the credit and none of the blame, and not following the rules and standards you have set. This will ultimately lead to unhappy employees who won’t want to support you and won’t be working for the success of the company.
On the other hand, when you lead by example, you will ultimately be creating leadership for happiness culture. It creates employees who see your success and want to follow it in it because they know it’s possible. Our actions impact the ones around us and show them how to behave. We can also teach them how to respond in ways that are valuable and suitable for our organizational outcomes. How to lead by example involves following the rules you set for everyone else, exceeding the expectations you put on your employees, and taking care of your team while helping them grow.
When you truly learn how to lead by example, you will benefit as much as your organization and team do. You and your employees will be happier, and they will respect you more and be willing to follow your lead. When you lead by example, you also reflect on the behavior you want the people you work with to adopt. This makes your employees happier, and that happiness, in turn, is reflected upon you.
