Would You Follow You?

ROLE MODELING has played a very important part of our lives. I bet you can quickly call to mind your own influential role models. These influential people span both our personal and professional lives. So where does role modelling fit in your life today? Are you one and do you have one?

Last week I attended a meeting where several attendees arrived late. The leader and host of the meeting was visibly annoyed by their lateness. His reaction seemed a little unreasonable given he was notorious himself for showing up late. One may argue that his team should know the right way to show up for a meeting but one may counter to say that if it’s OK for you to arrive late, then it’s OK for me to arrive late. This leader wasn’t aware of how his own behaviour was influencing his team. This situation made me wonder where else in the team dynamics were they patterning his behaviours, good and potentially bad.

Over the next few weeks as you greet your team and colleagues, join conference calls, attend meetings pause and consider your answer to these questions:

• How did I show up?
• What energy and mindset did I convey?
• Did I use closed or open questions?
• Did I check my phone while in the meeting?
• Did I give the exchange, phone call, or meeting my all?
• How did convey my support and involvement?
• What was the one bold or positively disruptive contribution I provided?
• Did what I say and how I acted align with what I tell my team to do?
• Did they see the real me?
• How was I helpful?
• Did I align with our culture and values?
• How will I follow through and follow-up?
• What’s the one thing I could have done differently?

A number of years ago I had a conversation with an executive who was a mentor to many. What made him sought after was his intentional approach to leadership and a strong awareness of his leadership style. His personal gauge was to ask himself the question

“Would you follow you?”

I ask you the same question, would you follow you?

Take this opportunity to be even more to your company, your team and yourself.

Don’t hold back!