Leading by Example: How to get Your Employees to Follow You and Like It!

Eddy Shigley

eshigley@sbcglobal.net

918-914-3348

The Apostle Paul makes a bold statement in I Corinthians 11:1, “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.” Leading in the 21st Century requires action not just lip service. Whether it is right or wrong, most people will not follow you whole-heartedly just because you have been given authority or have a certain job title. People want to follow someone they can trust. If you really want people to follow you, there are some important principles to live by, not just work by, but also live it! Furthermore, if you want to experience true transformation in your work environment and organization then this article is for you.

1. Lead with integrity.

Possibly the most important thing you can do for yourself and for your employees is to be a man or woman of your word. Integrity as defined by Webster’s dictionary states, “Moral purity, honesty; unimpaired state” (98). Former President Dwight D. Eisenhower said, “The supreme quality for a leader is unquestionably integrity. Without it, no real success is possible.... if a man’s associates find that he lacks forthright integrity, he will fail. His teachings and action must square with each other. The first great need, therefore, is integrity and high purpose” (Dornan/Maxwell 30). Leadership and integrity must go hand and hand. Without integrity, leadership theories become nothing more than theories. Integrity is the glue that holds organizations together and is the foundation for any great corporation. General H. Norman Schwarzkopf put it this way, “Leadership is a potent combination of strategy and character. But if you must be without one, be without strategy” (Maxwell 64). The Bible states, “The integrity of the upright guides them” (Proverbs 11:3). A survey, conducted in New York in 2001 to determine the top ten skills of a supervisor or leader, listed the number one skill desired by employees as “supervisors who can be trusted, to make honest decisions that are value based” (Cunningham 6). It is important to live above reproach. The company policies apply to you as the manager as much or more so than your employees. When you begin to think you are “above the law” your followers will either take those same “privileges” or become resentful. How you attain the company’s goals is as important as attaining the goals. If you win the Super Bowl, but are known to be a cheater, it is setting the wrong example and is unfulfilling

(New England Patriots). Winning the Super Bowl with integrity and with “good guys” is very rewarding (Indianapolis Colts).

2. Hire the right people.

In order to hire the right people you have to be comfortable in your own skin. In other words, you have to have enough courage, strength and security to go hire leaders who are more talented and gifted than you are. Do not hire people just like you or folks who are not quality in order to make yourself feel good - hire leaders who will grow and stretch each other, “as iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another” (Proverbs 27:17). Jim Collins writes, “The executives who ignited the transformation from good to great did not first figure out where to drive the bus and then get people to take it there. No, they first got the right people on the bus (and the wrong people off the bus) and then figured out where to drive it…the old adage ‘People are your most important asset’ is wrong. People are not your most important asset. The right people are” (41,64).

3. Train your people.

A transforming organization must be constantly growing and learning. It is important to get the best training for your people. As they feel confident in their jobs, they will be able to be more innovative and creative. “Learning organizations value creativity over control…they foster an environment of risk taking” (Bell XX). Part of that training needs to be in-house through some form of mentoring program. Bell believes, “The old model of leader as authority and corporate parent has been and continues to be altered to one of leader as supporter, enabler, partner, and mentor” (XXI). Mentoring allows a Corporation to train and develop their own people, so that they can promote within instead of looking outside the organization. “Great mentors are not only devoted fans of their protégé, they are loyal fans of the dream of what the protégé can become with their guidance” (Bell 6). On the other hand, Bell cites a Business Week article, which “reported that 35 percent of employees who do not receive regular mentoring look for another job within twelve months,” (XXI). Losing quality talent costs the company time, money, and morale. Pfeffer’s research bears out that organizations that invest in their employees find increased loyalty, a stronger work ethic, and greater productivity (64-98). Training should not be a one-time occurrence, but rather on-going. Real growth in an organization comes from a commitment to be life-long learners in the pursuit of excellence.

4. Work as a team.

According to Ken Blanchard, the key to effective leadership is the relationship you build with your team. Leaders need to help their employees’ work, learn, and grow together in unity – to share in the gain and the pain (Blanchard/Muchnick). Folks do not want a boss who will lord it over them, they want someone who will fight in the trenches with them. If the leader builds up a hedge around him/her and becomes standoffish, people will not follow. Leaders want to work at a place where they are “in the know”, so do followers. They want to take part in decisions, know what is happening with the finances of the organization, and have some say in the budget realignment. There is an old saying, “You impress people from a distance, but you impact them up close.” If you want to transform people and organizations, you need to work as a team. Warren Bennis believes, “exemplary leadership and organizational change are impossible without the full inclusion, initiatives and cooperation of followers…no change can occur without willing and committed followers” (74).

5. Deflect praise to your team members, but accept the blame.

People want to feel valued and appreciated. One of the easiest ways to express value is to genuinely praise them. When things go right in an organization, praise often goes to the leader, it is important to deflect this praise to your employees. On the other hand, when things go wrong, do not start pointing fingers, looking for a scapegoat. Nothing will hurt morale more than a leader who will not accept responsibility for failures. Collins notes a common characteristic among great leaders, “Level 5 leaders look out the window (to people) to attribute success to factors other than themselves. When things go poorly, however, they look in the mirror and blame themselves, taking full responsibility” (39). Great leaders are secure enough to surround themselves with talented, courageous, trustworthy people and then applaud them. This builds mutual trust, respect, admiration and loyalty. Loyalty is a quality that is often missing in organizations today. A person’s loyalty to a company often grows as they are shown value, appreciation, and loyalty from the organization. Collins noted, “A number of the executives characterized their good-to-great teams as the high point of their lives. Their experiences went beyond just mutual respect, to lasting comradeship” (62). I believe most people want to be a part of something that is great, but they want to also respect, love, and enjoy the people they work with on a daily basis.

6. Give your employees boundaries and let them run with the ball.

Yes, you need to delegate well and responsibly, but it is much more than delegating responsibilities. It is trusting the people on your team to do a great job, giving them the authority to get the job done, and giving them the credit when

credit is due. Calvin Miller states, “You can never achieve great leadership without effective delegation. By delegation, you will increase the job commitment of others by spreading your task effectively over a broader base. As others feel more responsible for the work, they begin to care about the outcome. In order to build a true team spirit, you must delegate accountability and glory as well as responsibility (160). When a leader feels like they have to micro-manage their employees they either have the wrong employees or the leader has a hard time letting go of control. Collins believes, “If you have the right people on the bus, the problem of how to motivate and manage people largely goes away. The right people do not need to be tightly managed or fired up; they will be self-motivated by the inner drive to produce the best results and to be part of creating something great” (42).

7. Promote an atmosphere where ideas are heard and debated.

Leaders are creative and have great ideas. Those ideas need to not only be heard but also wrestled with, so that the best ideas come to the forefront. People want to be heard – listening intently is another great way to engage others and stimulate creativity. Leaders do not want to be “yes men” they want to be a part of a collaborative team whereby they have significant input and their opinions are valued. The right ideas, properly managed, can transform a company – employees get excited at such possibilities.

8. Stay calm under stress or pressure.

Things will go wrong from time to time and there is significant pressure as a leader, however, how we handle this stress makes all the difference. There needs to be the freedom and the responsibility to “confront the brutal facts”. Solving issues within a company before it gets out of hand can be accomplished efficiently and effectively when there is an atmosphere of sharing with honesty and candor. Winston believes a leader who has “controlled discipline” and does not “fly off the handle”, yell, or shout is one whom employees see as rock solid and someone they can trust (52). Leaders cannot afford to wilt or “freak out” under pressure. When things get difficult the character of the leader will become evident. When external pressure is given, what is on the inside will come out. Winston notes, “When stress and pressure surround the workplace, employees always gravitate to the leader who lives by the Spirit, for in that leader there is a sense of calm” (139).

9. Leadership is about serving.

Calvin Miller believes, “The number one quality that must mark tomorrow’s leaders is servanthood” (17). Leaders should not view employees as pawns to

simply make him/her look good, but rather should seek to serve others by providing the encouragement, support, and resources they need to succeed. If we genuinely care for our employees and have their best interest in mind, than Winston believes employees are willing to “go the extra mile” and “commit themselves to corporate tasks” (11-29) In fact, “Leaders create ‘raving fans’ among customers and employees by placing their own interests behind the interests of their clients and employees” (Winston 25-26). This should not be the reason we serve our employees, but it is often the byproduct. Another aspect of serving is being sensitive to people’s hurts and frustrations. It is important to stay in tune to the “life issues” people face. Family births and deaths as well as marriage and parenting issues are often big deals. Handle these issues with care, love and compassion. Jesus said, “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28).

10. The leader/follower relationship is characterized by an “agapao” love.

Winston defines an agapao love as, “A moral love, doing the right thing at the right time for the right reason; to love in a social or moral sense” (5). This includes admitting when you are wrong, asking forgiveness and saying, “I am sorry.” I had a boss at one time who seemed to be daily “putting his foot in his mouth” and offending someone. His one redeeming quality was his sensitivity to the Holy Spirit to come back to that person, apologize and ask for forgiveness. God has used this man to take the company from “good to great”. It takes a mature leader to be humble enough to ask for forgiveness. A work environment characterized by an agapao relationship between the leader and his/her followers should result in a more healthy productive company. Winston asserts, “Agapao leaders are willing to show that their operations will perform well over the long term. When challenged on your agapao leadership style, ask to be allowed some freedom in your choices and to be able to measure the long-term performance. Your group’s productivity should increase, their morale should increase, turnover should decrease, and overall job satisfaction should increase” (90).

In summary, people will want to follow you because you are managing them in a way that communicates love and care. To do this effectively a leader must not only teach it, but also live it – be an example for others to follow. More is often caught than taught. In Jim Collins research, Level 5 leaders had multiple capable people on the Executive team to replace the retiring CEO because great care was taken in recruiting the right people, training and mentoring them effectively, and then releasing them to grow and mature. This type of agapao leadership is so attractive that not only will people follow you - they will love doing it!