From THE LEADERSHIP CHALLENGE by Kouzes & Posner
THE FIVE PRACTICES OF EXEMPLARY LEADERSHIP® MODEL
Leadership is not about personality; it’s about behavior—an observable set of skills and abilities. And when we first set out to discover what great leaders actually do when they are at their personal best, we collected thousands of stories from ordinary people—the experiences they recalled when asked to think of a peak leadership experience. Despite differences in culture, gender, age, and other variables, these “Personal Best” stories revealed similar patterns of behavior. In fact, we discovered that when leaders are at their personal best there are five core practices common to all: they Model the Way, Inspire a Shared Vision, Challenge the Process, Enable Others to Act, and last but certainly not least, they Encourage the Heart.
Let’s Take a Look at the First Tenet or Practice
MODEL THE WAY
Leaders establish principles concerning the way people (constituents, peers, colleagues, and customers alike) should be treated and the way goals should be pursued. They create standards of excellence and then set an example for others to follow. Because the prospect of complex change can overwhelm people and stifle action, they set interim goals so that people can achieve small wins as they work toward larger objectives. They unravel bureaucracy when it impedes action; they put up signposts when people are unsure of where to go or how to get there; and they create opportunities for victory.
From The Leadership Challenge
When have you been at your PERSONAL BEST?
Modeling the Way is a habit, a practice, a lifetime of try & fail, try & fall short, try & get better, try & keep improving. Modeling the Way is an everyday practice, not an everyday perfect.
What will you do today to model the way today for others and tomorrow for your better self? WBTB…What Burke Truly Believes… thanks for listening.