Leading by example

"Know what you can be great at and find the right context to express your talents"  

The key word here is 'context'. According to Douglas A. Wilson, there is no formula to leadership and it all depends on the situation.

"A country in a crisis needs a different type of leader than a country that is growing and reinvesting.  An organisation that needs to be turned around needs a different kind of leader than an organisation that needs to scale by a factor of 10," explains Wilson.

Chorus of disapproval  

'Leading by example' is also a phrase that we hear about often and I was keen to hear from Wilson on what he feels is its essence and the associated behaviours that go with it. 

Here are his top three takeways: 

1) Leaders cast a big arc of sunshine or darkness.  Everyone is watching how you behave and they will emulate your actions. Therefore, always ask, “Is my behavior in this moment something I want others to act like when I’m not present?” If you can’t give a big affirmative “yes”, then change your behaviour.

2) Reinforce behaviours in others that support the culture you want to build.

3) Put a firm boundary around behaviours you do not want to see in the organisation. The actions you disapprove of are more important than the ones you support. People will take notice and word travels fast.  

"Know what you can be great at and find the right context to express your talents" - Douglas A. Wilson's one abiding lesson about good leadership.