Recently, I’ve been following a group discussion about how organizations can reduce the likelihood of someone within their team or organization engaging in unethical behaviors. Interestingly … but not surprisingly … the consensus seems to be that ethical behavior starts at the top of the organization when it is modeled by the leaders of that organization. Great Leaders recognize that their behavior speaks so much louder than their words. Consequently, they keep these points in mind at all times and allow these points of ethical behavior to guide them in all that they do.
- Remember … wherever you are and whatever you do, you represent your company, your team, and yourself. People will see you and how you deport yourself. They will remember. They will make the logical assumption that what you did is a clear indication of who you are and what you stand for. As an example, I once knew a young man who was a teacher. He made the careless assumption that what he did outside of school hours would neither be noticed nor remembered by his students. One weekend, he went to a flea market wearing a t-shirt with a rather risqué saying on it. He saw no problem with that since he was “an adult” and could do as he pleased. On Monday, one of his students stated that he’d seen the teacher and quoted the saying on the t-shirt. Then, the student shocked the teacher by asking, “How can you tell us in class that we should respect others when that t-shirt tells us that you do not respect the people it makes fun of?” This teacher had forgotten the reality that EVERYTHNG he did, wherever he went, told others his values and his beliefs.
- If you expect others to maintain confidences, you must maintain them yourself. All leaders, Great Leaders and not-so-great-leaders see and hear things that should not be repeated. The difference is that not-so-great-leaders see these things as fodder for gossip and opportunities to get a laugh by making someone the object of a joke. Great Leaders adhere to the old adage that “What you see here, say here, and hear here must stay here.” They don’t repeat things that were said in confidence and they don’t turn the misfortunes of others into punch lines.
- If you expect that others respect you as a person, you must demonstrate that you respect other people. Great Leaders understand that respect cannot be demanded nor can it be expected by virtue of the title on one’s door. It must be earned; and, one of the best ways to earn respect is to show it. An actual case witnessed by someone that I consider to be a Great Leader should serve to illustrate this point. The owner of a company expected his employees to respect him. He felt that it was his due. However, he regaled his employees daily with tales of his wife’s ineptitude and what he considered to be her lack of common sense. Rather than finding these stories humorous, his employees could not believe the disrespect that he showed for his spouse and wondered aloud how he talked about them when they weren’t around.
Great Leaders set the example that they want others to emulate. Be it their professionalism, their work ethic, their compassion and understanding for others, Great Leaders model the behavior that they expect of others. They know that actions speak far louder than words and they make sure that their actions set the standard for others to live up to.
What actions have you witnessed by a Great Leader who sets the standard for others to live up to; or, by not-so-great-leaders who lower the bar to the lowest common denominator? Click the comment button and share your experiences here.
Tom Hoisington is a speaker, trainer, and author whose goal is to provide leaders and potential leaders with tools that empower them to build teams that are creative and cost effective along with a clearer understanding of how personality types interact within those teams. He can be contacted at tom.hoisington@eagleoneresources.com