December 2009

By Example

A theme I've picked up from our past issues is that leading by example is the best way. If you want to learn how to be a good leader, find such an example to mentor you or if you can't, read about other great leaders.

U.S. News & World Report has just published their list of the best leaders in 2009. You can read about each of them here - http://www.usnews.com/sections/news/best-leaders.

For more information on the Utility Leadership Academy, please contact: Dianne Felty at (651) 289-9600 ext. 131.

How We Learn About Leadership
Excerpts from Richard M. Ayres, "Leading by Example: How We Learn About Leadership," National Executive Associates Conference, June 9-13, 2004 <http://www.neiassociates.org/leadbyexample.htm>, accessed on December 9, 2009.

LEADERSHIP IS ACTION-NOT WORDS

This ability to translate intention into reality and to act on your intention comes from commitment-a characteristic common to all individuals who are recognized as leaders.

Commitment consists of a set of positive beliefs coupled with an equally appropriate set of positive action and behavior. Without this action and behavior, there is no commitment-merely good intentions. Effective leaders not only say they want to do the "right" thing; they follow through with appropriate actions-they "walk the way they talk."

Leadership, then, is the act of setting the right example, serving as a role model, having actions that speak louder than words, standing up for what you think is the "right" thing, showing the way, holding to the purpose and espousing the positive beliefs.

It was fascinating to learn from the likes of General Electric's Jack Welch, Disney's Michael Eisner and other notables the reasons they credited certain people with teaching them the principles of good leadership and why they believed certain others showed them examples of bad leadership. The anecdotes shared covered various leadership principles and philosophies; but the ultimate conclusion was apparent: leadership is action-it is about showing, not telling-it is about setting the right example.

"I view my father as a great leader and a man of character. He taught me the value of a good handshake; and that a measure of a person's worth is how much effort that person puts forth, not the position he or she holds. My father always admired people who gave something back. Servitude was a way of life, not an afterthought."

"The person who taught me the most about leadership was a Major in the Marine Corps. His accomplishments in Vietnam and his ability to rise through the ranks merited a great deal of respect. However, the most impressive of his qualities was his ability to deal with people. He was a great teacher; and he took a lot of his personal time to ensure that we had mastered our skills and always provided feedback without being critical. Outside of work, he would have us over for cookouts, treating us as family. This was especially important because we were all a half a world away from home. He would also go out with us while we were in port on deployment and insist that we not call him by his rank, but by his first name. This was hard for young Marines to understand, but he made a point to differentiate between work and play. He was a task master while at work, but he was also a great mentor and role model. To this point in my life, I have never met anyone who had such high standards for personal and professional excellence."

"I learned about leadership from an owner of a large, local music store where I worked part-time during my college years. He showed me that leaders lead by example. He always followed the rules he set for employees. He showed that leaders care; he knew all the names of his employees' family members. He showed me that leaders were never too big to do a job that needed doing. He would even clean the toilets. He also belonged to every civic organization in the community."

"The person who taught me the most about leadership was my lieutenant in narcotics. She empowered us to learn and get the job done safely and effectively. When discipline was needed, she did it swiftly and fairly, and then built us back up, instilling a lesson. She showed us she had great confidence in us and constantly encouraged teamwork. When things went wrong, she was there to step in and assume full responsibility. She was always available for a personal conversation and would put aside whatever she was doing to listen."

Some Tips
Excerpts from Roy Sencio, "3 Simple Tips On How To Lead By Example In The Workplace," Ezine Articles , <http://ezinearticles.com/?3-Simple-Tips-On-How-To-Lead-By-Example-In-The-Workplace&id=887849>, accessed on December 9, 2009.

We have heard it often, maybe too often that it sounds cliche; "A Good Leader, Is Also A Good Follower."

Do you believe this?

I do, and I wish to share with you the reasons why I believe that in order for one to lead, one must demonstrate that he is also capable of following.

First, a leader must show a group that he is willing and able to take part in decision making or policy making activities set by the group, and submit and abide by them just like everybody else. A leader who direct members to maintain silence within company premises cannot expect cooperation if he himself does not observe it.

Second; leaders have to sacrifice personal convictions, set them aside in order to achieve an overall objective; like implementing a management program.

Third; a leader is a figurehead, the top honcho of a company. He has to show that he is in command, but also portray the image of a good follower. An example could be uniforms; while employees are expected to observe the policy on uniforms, some leaders feel exempt from it because of their position. A leader must show other employees that he is also a good employee by simply abiding by the policy and coming to work in the prescribed uniform.

A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way. - John C. Maxwell