S.I.M.P.L.E. Leadership - Part 4

 

Model Your Expectations

The greatest amount of clarity that a leader can convey comes not from what is said, but what is done.  It is imperative that the leader model his expectations for those around him.  You can teach, coach, encourage, and even rebuke, but nothing will speak louder than the example you set.  No one in scripture was more aware of this than the Apostle Paul.  In 1 Corinthians 11:1 he says, “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.”  And again in Philippians 4:9 he says, “What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me – practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”

Paul had put himself in an incredible position.  Not only was he able to make his appeal based on the things he had said, but on the example he had set.  This is certainly the position in which every leader will want to put himself.  The leader will want to model expectations in two ways.

First of all, as the leader of an organization seeks to launch someone into a role of leadership, he will want to model the task at hand for her.  He will want to teach her all there is to know about successfully reaching the goals that lie ahead, but he will also want to model such a performance for her.  This means that the leader not only brings people in to teach them, he also will work side by side with them for a time.  It is one thing for a leader to say, “Do it this way,” it is all together another thing for the leader to say, “Here, let me show you.”

If the leader does not take time to model a task for those who work with him, then he has no one to blame but himself if they fail to perform as he expected.  Make no assumptions as to what people know and how they will perform a certain task.  Be very clear as to what the expectations are and take the time to show the individuals of your team exactly what you want.

A second area that a leader models expectations for his team is in the way he performs on a daily basis.  A leader can talk about core values and governing principles all day, but if he does not live up to them himself, then his team will not do so either.  Some of the areas that a leader will want to be very cautious about include:

1.  Tasks that are performed by the leader should be done on time and with attention to detail.

2.  All tasks that are performed by the leader should be completed with a level of excellence.

3.  The leader should always display a genuine passion for the mission at hand.

4.  The leader should always display a high level of integrity.

5.  The leader should maintain a very high work ethic.

6.  The leader should always have a clear vision as to where the organization is going.

7.  The leader should be committed to personal growth.

8.  The leader should have a genuine concern for those around him.

Modeling these values will ensure that the leader has a high performance team around him.  Values of this sort are caught, not taught.  The opposite is true as well.  If the leader slacks in these areas, so will the team.  The greatest teaching tool the leader has is his performance.  The leader’s performance tells the team everything they need to know about the culture and environment in which they find themselves serving.