Years ago, I worked with a senior leader. The board mandated a cost-reduction plan. He gathered the team and asked everyone to cut expenses.
A few weeks later, we traveled together for a business trip. He flew first class. The rest of the team sat in economy.
His action immediately destroyed his message.
Your team watches your actions. We craft the perfect mission statement. We deliver the inspiring town hall. We tell our teams to be accountable. Our words evaporate the moment our actions contradict them.
Albert Schweitzer said it best: “Example is the only thing in influencing others.”
Here are 4 ways to demonstrate your leadership today:
1/ Demonstrate Character
The Concept: Your character is what you do when no one is watching. Your team trusts the consistency of your actions.
The Actionable Tool: The Private Meeting Test. Before your next team meeting, ask yourself: “Am I holding myself to the same standard as I did in the big meeting?”
Coaching Question: How am I maintaining my core standards during closed-door conversations?
2/ Demonstrate Vulnerability
The Concept: Create psychological safety by admitting your own mistakes. Your vulnerability gives your team permission to be honest, which is the foundation of a high-performing culture.
The Actionable Tool: The Open Error. The next time you make a mistake, announce it to your team. Say: “I made an error on X. Here’s what I learned, and here’s my plan to fix it.”
Coaching Question: What recent mistake can I share to build deeper trust with my team today?
3/ Demonstrate Consequences
The Concept: A culture of action is built on celebrating outcomes and results. The only thing that truly matters is what you did.
The Actionable Tool: The Weekly Action Review. At the end of each week, look at your to-do list. Ask: “What is the one most important thing I accomplished this week?”
Coaching Question: How are my daily actions directly producing measurable results for the business?
4/ Demonstrate Active Learning
The Concept: Show your team that learning is an active process. When a leader models active learning, they create a team of active learners.
The Actionable Tool: The Public Experiment. The next time you are learning a new skill, share your progress with your team. Say: “I’m currently working on improving my skill. Here’s something I tried this week, and here’s what I’m trying next.”
Coaching Question: How am I visibly showing my team that I am actively learning new skills?
The Bottom Line
Your team will remember your smallest actions. Lead by example.
Let’s do it together. True leadership is about spiraling upward, getting a little bit better every day. We can create the best version of your career and your life. Let’s have a 15-minute talk to define your next step.
Thank you.
Dror. 🙏 (Say hello on Linkedin)
PS: Whenever you’re ready, here are 2 ways I can help you accelerate your career through coaching:
For Aspiring Senior Leaders/C-Suite:
- Accelerate Your Path to Leadership: I help you create your big picture and build a plan to accelerate your path. Let’s schedule a 15-minute call to explore if we can work together.
For Current Senior Leaders/C-Suite:
- Elevate Your Leadership Impact: You know even small refinements at your level can drive significant organizational results and career acceleration. I accompany you on your project and guarantee the result. Schedule a focused 15-minute discussion.
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