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 Websters
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 mans 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
companys 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 itthe 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 controlthey 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 protg, they are loyal fans of the
dream of what the protg 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. Pfeffers 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 followersno 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 persons
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 tomorrows
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 peoples 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 groups 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!