a montage of a woman on the beach, at the office, and at home with her baby with the heading: Be a Leader
Image by Gerd Altmann and InnerSelf.com

In this Article:

  • How can you lead by example at work and home?
  • Why is self-care important for effective leadership?
  • The impact leaders have on fostering innovation and accountability.
  • How do behaviors in leadership affect employees' performance and creativity?
  • How leading with integrity and calmness can create positive outcomes.

We Are All Leaders: Leading by Example at Work and at Home

by Mindy Vail.

Leadership plays a most crucial role in driving innovation and fostering a culture of change within organizations. Leaders must set the tone, establish the vision, and create the conditions for innovation to thrive.

To lead by example effectively, leaders must demonstrate a willingness to embrace change and take risks. They should be visible champions of innovation, encouraging experimentation, and celebrating success, fostering a culture of openness and transparency, where ideas are welcomed, and yes, where failures are seen as learning opportunities.

By leading with authenticity and vulnerability, leaders inspire trust and create a sense of psychological safety where employees feel empowered to take risks and innovate without fear of judgment or consequence.

Furthermore, leaders should prioritize communication and collaboration, actively engage with their teams to share their vision, solicit feedback, and align everyone towards common goals. This encourages a culture of accountability and ownership, where everyone feels invested in the organization's success and motivated to contribute their best efforts.

Prioritizing Self-Care and Work-Life Balance

In addition to leading by example in their professional lives, leaders should also prioritize self-care and work-life balance. When leaders work excessively long hours, their team may perceive this as the expected norm, potentially leading to burnout and resentment among employees.

Moreover, when leaders openly complain about their workload or constantly emphasize how busy they are, it sets a tone that suggests overwork is commendable or necessary for success. However, when leaders prioritize their own well-being by occasionally taking vacations or mental health days to spend with family or friends, it humanizes them and fosters a sense of connection and safety within the team.

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By prioritizing physical and mental health, leaders set a positive example for their team and cultivate a culture that values holistic well-being, ultimately contributing to a more productive, engaged, and fulfilled workforce.

Leading by Example at Work is Like Parenting at Home

An analogy that may resonate with some is that leading by example at work is really no different than parenting at home. Just as parents set the tone for their children by modeling behaviors they wish to instill, leaders influence their teams through their actions and attitudes.

Much like how children observe and emulate their parents' conduct, employees observe their leaders' behavior and follow suit. Just because people grow up and become adults, it doesn't change this fundamental aspect of human nature. When parents exhibit patience, kindness, and resilience, children learn to embody these qualities.

Leading with Anger and Blame?

In the workplace, when leaders resort to raising their voices and placing blame, the repercussions are far-reaching. Such behavior instills fear and intimidation, creating a hostile environment that stifles creativity and collaboration. Individuals may feel pressured to prioritize self-preservation over honesty, leading to a pattern of lying as a coping mechanism in response to perceived threats or conflicts. Their response to yelling or blaming is not indicative of weakness or lack of toughness though.

Rather, it reflects the profound impact of stress and negative environments on neurological processes. Yelling or blaming triggers the amygdala, heightening emotions like fear and anxiety, and activating the body's fight-or-flight response. It also triggers the prefrontal cortex, responsible for executive functions such as decision-making and impulse control, to become less active. This can impair individuals' ability to think rationally and make sound judgments, making them more susceptible to impulsive behavior, such as lying, as a means of self-preservation.

As you can imagine, this negatively impacts creativity, innovation, and collaboration. Blame creates a culture of distrust and low morale, fostering resentment and disengagement within the team. This negative atmosphere often leads to increased turnover rates.

Chronic Stress Leads to Fear and Dishonesty

Chronic stress further compounds these effects, impacting brain structure and function, and it perpetuates the cycle of fear and dishonesty in the workplace. Chronic exposure to stressful or hostile environments can actually lead to changes in brain structure and function over time.

For example, prolonged stress can impair the functioning of the hippocampus, a brain region involved in memory and emotion regulation, potentially affecting individuals' ability to recall accurate information or regulate their emotions effectively.

Furthermore, social and environmental factors play a significant role in shaping behavior. If individuals perceive yelling or blaming as a regular occurrence in their environment, they may learn to associate honesty with negative consequences and dishonesty with self-preservation.

It's no surprise then that children, particularly teenagers, resort to lying frequently as they prioritize self-preservation. When this behavior isn't addressed adequately, it can persist into adulthood. Over time, this learned tendency becomes reinforced, creating a pattern of lying as a coping mechanism in the face of perceived threats or conflicts.

Promoting Accountability and Problem-Solving

Leaders who lead with anger and blame set a poor example and promote a culture of defensiveness rather than accountability and problem-solving. This behavior undermines the leader's credibility and authority, damages relationships, and overall organizational performance.

Conversely, when leaders demonstrate calmness, adaptability, integrity, and a growth mindset, their team members are inspired to do the same. Thus, whether in the office or at home, leading by example is not just a strategy but a way of life that fosters growth, development, and positive outcomes. Leading by example requires leaders to embody the values and behaviors they wish to see in their teams and organizations. It involves treating others how you want to be treated. Period.

Copyright 2024. All Rights Reserved.
Adapted with permission.

Article Source:

BOOK: The MindShift Effect

The MindShift Effect: Where Change Management is Redefined and Leadership is Refined
by Mindy Vail.

Whether you're grappling with adapting to new challenges, leading through uncertainty, or fostering innovation within your team, The MindShift Effect equips you with the tools and knowledge needed to thrive. Although there are many strategies and tactics, it’s about fostering a mindset—a shift in perspective that enables leaders to embrace change, inspire others, and unlock their full potential. It’s about recognizing that true leadership is not merely a position or a title but a journey—a continuous evolution toward excellence and impact. With Mindy Vail as your guide, you'll unlock the transformative power of mindset and emerge as a confident, effective leader in today's ever-evolving landscape.

For more info and/or to order this book, click here.  Also available as a Kindle edition.

About the Author

Mindy Vail has more than two decades of experience in leadership development, change management, education, and public speaking. Working with emerging leaders to veteran executives, her focus is cultivating a growth mindset and fostering resilience. Her new book, The Mindshift Effect: Where Change Management Is Redefined and Leadership Is Defined (April 16, 2024), provides a wellspring of inspiration for leading meaningful organizational change. Learn more at themindshifteffect.com.

Article Recap:

This article discusses the crucial role of leading by example, both in business and personal life. Leaders who model behaviors like integrity, self-care, and calmness set a strong foundation for fostering innovation and accountability. The article compares leadership to parenting, highlighting how the values demonstrated by leaders influence teams and organizations. It also addresses the negative impact of leading through anger or blame, emphasizing the need for positive, responsible leadership.