How To Lead By Example

Restored from the Empower Network archive (2011–2017), lightly edited to meet our current advertising standards. Views are the original author’s.

The best lesson you can teach anyone is to lead by example….

We all learn in different ways by different methods, sight, sound and action but everything we learn has either already been learned by someone else and is now being taught to us or we learn it through just doing it, through pure instinct. The things we learn through pure instinct are priceless because they are our own, we discovered and uncovered it all by ourselves and become a richer person as a result of it and now we can tell and show others from our own experience, we can lead by example.

For the most part though, we learn by watching and hearing others around us, those in our centre of influence, they lead by example. At an early age we are looking to our parents, our brothers and sisters, our grandparents and any other major influences in our lives to show us how to thrive and we do that through our senses, our taste, touch, sight, sound and smell. The important thing to know here is that we are all different and your experience will be completely different to most others, you can describe and even show others how but their actual experience, what they feel, will be different in some way.

As we get older we discover that we are better at certain things and depending on what kind of upbringing you are experiencing you are encouraged to explore that skill more or maybe told not to get too cocky with it because it probably wont get you anywhere anyway, there are lots of variables but as you grow up you find that the obstacles get tougher and depending on how well those who lead by example in your environment have led, will often dictate how well you will lead by example in your own future.

Points to remember when looking to lead by example

• Always start with yourself. If you want to be a good leader, father, mother, brother, sister, son, daughter, cook, mechanic, business person, dancer, bus driver, postie, teacher, tennis player, basketball player, singer, actor, artist or whatever, you must work the hardest on yourself first.

• Learn from those who have already succeeded at what you want to do. Surround yourself with them, read about them, listen to them, actively seek out their counsel in whatever form you can get it in and immerse yourself in it. If you want to be a dancer then study the great dancers from history, enrol in dance classes, practice whenever you can, read books about dancing, find out what your favourite dancers did and did not do during their careers, hang out with dancers.

• Actions speak louder than words, anyone can read a recipe and think they know how to make sushi but until you actually do it you will not know how the rice is supposed to look and feel, what utensils work best, how long it actually takes and what combinations of ingredients are the tastiest. You can only teach what you have experienced yourself.

• Always be in learning mode even when you are considered an expert. Most skills are always evolving so stay plugged in and current with your own and keep an open mind.

• Don’t expect anything from anyone that you have not done yourself.

To lead by example is the most powerful and effective way to teach anything, it promotes credibility and trust, it ensures loyalty and respect and it provides confidence and belief. As an Internet Marketer I took the time to learn my trade, to apply it, to make mistakes and learn from them so I can lead by example with confidence. I never promote any method I have not tried myself first and I encourage my team to take the same stance. To lead by example just makes better sense.

Click on the image above to take a look at what I do to lead by example, being part of and drawing from a group of tried and true leaders who all lead by example is the first step….I dare you to take it!