Leading by Example
by
Terry Houston, PP
NALS Education Committee
Virgo:
This is a great day for you to be the leader of a group, so step up and raise
your hand when volunteers are asked for. You have a wonderful ability to create
a great group dynamic -- your team will not only be effective but also have
fun. This is the start of something that could potentially raise your profile
and change your life, so don't be shy about picking the cream of the crop to
join your team. And don't worry about people with fragile egos feeling left
out.
Since I retired a couple of years ago, I’ve found time
to read the daily newspaper in the mornings over a second
cup of tea. My favorite section is the Daily Horoscope
and today’s seemed to be not only gratifying to my ego
but particularly applicable to my agenda for the day: preparing
this article. Though many of us have volunteered or been
elected to serve as leaders in organizations like NALS,
to fulfill specific obligations or tasks, all of us are
de facto leaders because of our innate sense of responsibility.
One of the best benefits of being a recognized leader
is the adulation we receive from the group we’re leading—the
applause following a speech, the thank-you letters from
peers following a completed project, the sense of accomplishment
that fuels our inner selves. But a duty accompanies these
benefits, and this duty is fulfilled not just by what we
say or write but also by our everyday actions. I think
of this duty as “Leading by Example.” Not everyone will
listen to every item in our speech nor will they read every
word in our handout, but most will observe how we present
ourselves and how we interact with the group… our “example.”
Want to have a positive effect on dress standards at work?
Think about what your appearance says to others. Your “example”
might be to kick it up one notch on casual days, foregoing
the jeans and polo shirt for something in crisp linen,
still casual but a gentle reminder that you consider yourself
part of the professional group and not just another staff
member.
Want to foster the spirit of friendship and involved-ness
at professional gatherings? Think about how it felt when
you were the new person and didn’t know all of the others.
Your “example” might be to make a point of introducing
yourself to those you don’t know well, and then introducing
them to others in the group that you do know already.
Nothing is more intimidating to most people than to find
themselves in a group where everyone else seems to know each
other. But one of the worst experiences I ever had was when
I introduced myself to someone at an association gathering
and their response was, “I know. I’ve seen you here before.”
I’m not the best at remembering names, and I often resort
to the tactic of introducing myself to someone I may have
met before but whose name escapes me. Nothing stops a conversation
faster than to hear them respond, “I know.” When you meet
someone, always tell them your name and perhaps add a detail
or two about where you’re from or where you work, just to
get the conversation started. They’ll usually follow your
example, and you’ll be remembered fondly as a warm and caring
leader. And you’ll feel good inside, too, with the satisfaction
that comes from “leading by example.”
