The individuals in your team need leadership to show them the way. They watch and wait for hints about how best to carry out their duties and the signs they see from you give them clues.
By modelling the way you expect your people to act consistently, you will demonstrate a way of working that will encourage their behaviours too.
Your actions provide them with a ‘template’ that gives them confidence in you, and the confidence to go forward. It doesn’t stifle them at all, because it provides a base example of standards and behaviours, so that they can overlay their own individual skills, capabilities, ideas and perspectives, to create results above and beyond the norm.
You will be judged on what you are seen to do – not what you say you will do. You have to walk your talk fully if you want your people to respond and partner with you in a trusting, generative environment.
And there are no corners to cut here, being consistent in the way you do things is critical to show them that you are in a constructive relationship with them and what you ask of them is how you do things too.
“People believe more what they see than what they hear. Show through your actions what is important to you and that’s what they’ll most believe to be true”
Bob Nelson, Author, “1001 Ways To Motivate Your Employees”
And as your people notice, they’ll tell others. It will be ‘the way we do things around here‘. Their impression of you sticks, like sticky glue that holds firm and you will advance your own reputation too.
Your destiny is in your own hands. It is your choice to have your people onside, working productively. To be the successful leader you want to be, you must be the shining-light example that leads the way.
Talking about it isn’t good enough and becomes transparent very quickly.
If you want to take your people with you, it’s time to show up fully, then everyone on your team will be committed, creative and aligned!
