Pub. 1 Issue 3

VIRGINIA AUTO DEALER www.vada.com 20 L eadership comes in all shapes and sizes, but solid and effective leaders understand the power of “example leadership.” No matter what you say as a manager, a captain, or even a CEO, your team will not consistently follow your words if those words aren’t followed up by your actions. Practicing what you preach and exemplifying the very things you want those you are leading to do are critical parts of leadership. What you say can help you lead, but on its own, it’s not enough to get it done over time. In my mind, example leadership is mandatory; verbal leadership may not be. People are always observing and reading their leaders. They expect more than words before they buy in to what the leader wants. They are looking for examples of the leader doing exactly what he or she is asking them to do. I often say that their eyes and ears will tell them whether they will follow your lead. It’s not just the title that causes your people to follow your lead. In other words, do your actions match your words? They hear words, but they see actions. Words are open to interpretation. Actions are fact! Championship teams have players who are experienced leaders on their team. Every day they work on their games or their bodies, and most days they work on both. When they place demands on their teammates, their teammates know these leaders aren’t asking them to do anything they aren’t willing to do themselves. Leaders walk the walk, and their teams see them doing it every day. They have seen their leaders do exactly what they are being asked to do. I was fortunate to work for future Hall of Fame Coach Doc Rivers for 13 years in the NBA. Doc was and is a team- rst leader, an example leader, and one who holds himself accountable rst. No day goes by that Doc doesn’t execute his role to the fullest, just as he asks his team to execute their roles fully and completely. His work ethic and attention to detail are “givens,” as they are with other great leaders. It’s the leading by example that puts him in the elite leader category. One simple thing Doc does – but one that speaks volumes: as soon as he boards the plane a er a game, he watches that night’s game lm to evaluate his mistakes, not just the team’s mistakes. It’s a classic case of everyone seeing what Doc does and following his lead. The best leaders don’t just talk a good game. The talk-only leaders are going to be exposed eventually, and they will lose the trust of their staff or team. The best leaders are willing to show, not just tell how to get things done. They live the life of their requests in such a way that those they lead know that they are in it with them! One of the things I always talk about in my corporate speaking is that the best leaders live in the world of TRUTH. They understand that the truth needs three things from the leader for the organization to thrive. The leader must be able to: • Live It • Tell It • Take It All three of these are essential, but the key is that to be trusted by the team, a leader must Live the Truth. Show Your Leadership: Live the Truth DAY 2 SPEAKER Kevin Eastman, NBA Champion Coach, International Corporate and Sports Team Speaker