A commonly offered definition of leadership is accomplishing results through people doing things they might not ordinarily want to do. Setting an example is perhaps the most basic way that leaders get effective results. In Peters and Waterman’s classic, they talked extensively about “management by walking around.” Certainly, this is one way to get out and set an example.
However, a recent CBS News piece on Haruka Nishimatsu, President and CEO of Japan Air, gives a superior example of this concept:
Nishimatsu provides a great example of someone who will not only run a company, but how to encourage people to take the initiative, giving them a feeling of job ownership. Put in the context of the economic meltdown, the majority of these steps should be a no brainer, something all leaders, at every level others need to take a long hard look at.
Every day there are countless ways, both positive and negative, in which leaders set an example. The leaders conduct, the way they treat other people and the attitude they bring to work every day is an example of what they want their team to do.
So, what kind of example are you setting?
