Real Leaders Walk the Walk
Posted in *****Watch on youTube****** http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4FfmRCpIHY
During a summer of international sports scandals
involving gambling and substance abuse, two
athletes were applauded for their character as
much as their professional accomplishments.
A record crowd of 75,000 cheered Cal Ripken Jr.
and Tony Gwynn during their 2007 induction into
the National Baseball Hall of Fame. “whether
we like it or not,” Ripken said, “as big leaguers
we are role models. The only question is will it
be positive or negative.” Quoted from ODB July 26.
The preacher was speaking tongue-in-cheek
when he complained, “My wife is absolutely
unreasonable. She actually expects me to
live everything I preach!” It’s so much easier
to tell someone what is right than to practice it
personally. Quoted from ODB July 24.
A good example is of much more value than good advice.
How are you doing as the leader of your company,
organization, or your family. Are you walking
so loudly that no one can hear what you are saying?
Are you telling everyone the right things to do,
expecting to hold them to a high standard, yet
you are not following your own rules?
Speaking recently with a leader, he was talking
about how the standards of this country have
totally gone into the gutter. How everyone
wants to get away with things, do less, lay back.
Then at the end of our conversation I ask the
leader what he was doing the rest of the day.
Oh, I am going to sneak out and play golf this
afternoon no one will ever know.
As the leader, you are on display. Like it or not.
It doesn’t matter whether you have 1 employee
or 1000 employees. It doesn’t matter if it is at
work, play or home. If people look to you as
the leader, you are on display and you are
always on stage. Everything you do sets the
standard for how your people operate. If you
do it, you can bet they will.
None of us is perfect, that is so true. Yet, we
have to work very hard at it. Further, when
we do make a mistake, we have to admit it
and take the heat. That is the only why we
are going to teach our teams how to do it
right. That is the only way we are going to
raise the standards of our organization to a
very high level. That is the only way – face
it, deal with it and move forward.
Ten simple things to think about as you set
the walk for your team:
1. If you want your team to come in
before 8, then you need to be in by 7.
2. If you want your team to work till 6,
then you need to work till everyone
else is gone.
3. If you want your staff to take time
and coach and help their players, then
you need to set the example by taking
time for your staff and coaching them.
4. If you want your team to watch the
money, then don’t you go around wasting it.
5. If you want great written reports from your
team, then you better not be sending them junk.
6. If you want your team to treat customers
with compassion then you better not demonstrate
anything different when you deal with the customer.
7. If you don’t want your team making personal
calls during business hours, then set the example
by not doing it yourself. It doesn’t matter what
position you have in the organization.
8. If you don’t want your team surfing the internet
and playing on the web during business hours,
then you need to stop doing it.
9. If you want your players to have a clean desk
and be organized, then you better set the example.
10. If you want your team to have a great attitude!
Guess what?
The way you walk is the way your team will walk.
Great leaders create great leaders. Poor leaders,
create poor leaders. You are always on display,
like it or not. So set the right pace. Make sure
you are not walking so loud no one can hear you
talking.
