Over the years, I’ve listened to many individuals talk about the type of leader that they would prefer to follow. While they cite many different leadership traits, they usually come back to one trait that seems to be almost universally desired. They want a leader who “walks the talk”.
Perhaps this was best expressed by one of the great entrepreneurs of the late 19th century, Andrew Carnegie, who stated, “As I grow older, I pay less attention to what men say. I just watch what they do.”
Make no mistake. People can and do listen with their eyes. All of the well spoken platitudes from someone whose plan is to “fake it ’til you make it” vanish like a puff of smoke in a breeze when the behavior of the speaker is at odds with the spoken word.
Great Leaders know this and live their lives in such a way as to make certain that their behavior and their words are congruent.
- When asking that they be treated with respect, Great Leaders treat others respectfully.
- Desiring to be treated courteously, Great Leaders treat others with the same courtesy that they desire.
- When speaking, they want others to listen. Thus, when others speak, Great Leaders give the speaker their undivided attention and actively listen, asking questions to better understand the speaker’s intent and meaning.
- Asking others to arrive on time, Great Leaders arrive early and stay late.
- Wanting a 100% effort from others, they devote their entire being and effort to the task at hand.
Great Leaders know that their actions will speak far more loudly than their words. They lead by example and demonstrate the character and traits that they desire from others. Who are the Great Leaders in your life that set the examples that you choose to emulate? Share your story by commenting below.
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