A good leader leads by example. You certainly will have come across this phrase many times and not only on our website. The skill of leadership is one of those things which is easy to say but much more difficult to implement in practice. Leading by example is often forgotten when we are very busy and faced with tight deadlines. That is why we need discipline and constant self-reflection.
If you want to make sure you are leading by the right example, ask yourself the following questions highlighted by Fastcompany.com.
1. Do you keep your commitments?
Consider whether your actions are consistent with what you promised to others. Your attention may be distracted by a major project or an emergency event but your credibility depends on seemingly petty and inconsequential things, such as timely arrivals for appointments. How would you feel if someone was constantly rescheduling meetings with you?
2. Do you respect work-life balance?
If you like to talk about how important it is to spend time with your family, that's fine. But only until you begin sending emails or calling your employees at night, at weekends or even during long pre-planned vacations.
3. Can you cope with stress?
Leaders should be able to show composure even in difficult times. They should control their emotions and not transfer them to the entire workplace. Only then can they expect others will trust them to handle difficult situations.
4. Do you know the needs of your staff?
Busy managers often tend to think only about everything they themselves have to do and forget about their teams. Try to set aside 15 minutes every day to do something for others. You can listen to the comments of your staff and focus on what you can do to eliminate certain barriers.
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