Are You Really Walking the Talk?
The Secret to Effective Modeling
By Craig Ross and Steven W. Vannoy
Based on concepts in the upcoming book, "Leadership Gold" by Steven W. Vannoy and Craig Ross.
Leaders in any arena are aware of the ramifications of modeling effective, productive, congruent behavior to those they lead. A self-assessment of our own actions allows us to identify areas where we can close the leadership gap.
Closing this gap leads to immediate returns as those around us mirror our actions. While most leaders believe they are walking-the-talk, their employees (using 'sixth-sense radar') are aware of something in addition to their leader's actions.
The fully-conscious leader knows that their outer behavior and actions are only effective if aligned with their inner philosophy.
What do you think?
If person 'A' doesn't care for person 'B,' can 'B' decipher 'A's' true thoughts - even though person 'A' tries to disguise their thoughts through contradictory actions? YES is always the answer we hear.
When our actions are not congruent with our inner philosophy -- what we think and believe about a person, team, circumstances, etc. -- disastrous results loom. As much as we hate to admit it, we've all done this a time or two. But the fully conscious leader, the leader who uses their peace of mind as a pillow at night, continues to hone their skills and evolve to a point where such behavior is unimaginable.
The fully conscious leader strives to make their inner philosophy congruent with their outer behavior because they know, like the reader, that every person has a sixth sense. We all possess the ability to 'get a feel' for those we interact with. Simply, we all can tell when someone's inner philosophy is in accord with his or her outer behavior.
As fully conscious leaders evolve, their values and principles increasingly become aligned with their thoughts, which determine, and are therefore consistent, with their outer behavior. These top leaders know that this is the key to effective modeling. But they don't do it for others; they do it because it's the only way to live. As Bob Grieve, CEO of Heska Corporation, says, "Why would we want to live any other way?"
Yet, for reasons that aren't worth identifying, there are some around us who haven't mastered this skill. These individuals, with the best of intentions, try to send a message - a strong message that is intended for the good of the team - but rely only on their outer behavior to carry the message. This approach can lead to the destruction of trust and integrity.
In a large corporation in the upper Midwest, a team of 700 people had convened. The purpose: creating greater teamwork. Four vice presidents stood on stage in front of the masses, their fists pumping, their arms over each others shoulders. Together, they stated strongly that "we are a team!"
There was only one problem: every person in that convention hall knew the four vice presidents on stage couldn't stand each other. "We were insulted," said one participant. "Their display actually drove a wedge between us and them, and ruined what little credibility they had."
Modeling from the Inside - Out. This 'sixth sense' -- the ability to detect in others the alignment of values and principles with outer behavior -- is in all of us. The fully conscious leader uses this radar not to judge others, for they know that doing so would reflect their own inability to model both the outer behavior and inner philosophy. Rather, the fully conscious leader - or what we like to call the "Gold Leader" - uses this radar to detect and insure that their own behavior, inside and out, is in harmony with the values and principles they hold sacred.
Modeling the Inner Philosophy: A Strategic Advantage of the Gold Leader
Possessing and modeling a healthy inner philosophy is the Gold Leader's strategic advantage over his or her competition. This leader knows the reason why his or her competitors are slow to create changes in their team: they harbor an inner philosophy that communicates to their team that they have to change. Of course, the very essence of this inner philosophy is that those around them aren't good enough. And, whether it is articulated or not, the team picks up on this message loud and clear.
People don't like to have the message "you're not good enough" communicated to them.
The Gold Leader takes a different approach. They align themselves first, insuring that their inner philosophy, their 'come-from,' is one that is conducive to building trust, further communication and relationships. They know that their team has to change to stay in front of their competitors, but they don't believe their team members need to change who they are; rather, the Gold Leader understands that it is necessary that his or her team grows from where they're at, that they build on what they've already accomplished.
This inner philosophy becomes a strategic advantage, allowing the leader to build and move teams and organizations rapidly with a sustained energy. This leader has the inner philosophy that knows their people want to be great - and when they communicate this through their actions, their teams respond with gusto.
Guage and Build Your Inner Philosophy
Take these simple steps to assess, and then build, your ability to be a fully conscious leader, effective at modeling a healthy inner philosophy:
- Identify those people, situations or issues that are upsetting to you.
- Accept what your inner philosophy has been regarding these people or issues.
- Determine what the healthy inner philosophy is that will allow you, the other person, issue, or situation to move forward.
- Identify what message your new inner philosophy will send to others.
- Ask yourself why it's important to you that you move forward with your inner philosophy.
- Determine what your plan is to sustain this inner philosophy.
Closing the gap between our inner philosophy and our outer behavior is the key to effective modeling, which is the foundation for effective leadership.
(c) 2003 Pathways to Leadership, Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
