You Are Your Actions
I've known coaches who preach a healthy lifestyle... but go out eating chicken wings and drink beers multiple nights per week.I've known people in management who preach work ethic and accountability... but make excuses every time the finger is directed at them.
I've known trainers... who didn't even train? Huh? I cant believe I just wrote that! I have literally known personal trainers who actually had clients pay them, but never worked out themselves. My god, sometimes I truly feel like I occasionally enter a bizarre universe where right is left, down is up and people aren't rewarded for their hard work (?)
...sorry about that rant.
Point is, it's very difficult to lead, if the staff doesn't believe in you, because they know you're not practicing what you preach. When you're speaking to a group of people, lying and making it believable is nearly impossible. If you come in ranting and raving about sales... but you're not selling, or you've never sold anything yourself, that isn't going to float for long. If you're trying to grind away for more production or whatever an end goal may be and then take a week of vacation.... people are going to turn on you.
And again, understand that this isn't about just one manager or a coach or a parent, its about all of them. Every possible position of leadership there is from the time you wake up until you fall asleep, there are opportunities. Rule #9 in the Step to Success, "Remember, how you conduct yourself on the field is just as important as how you conduct yourself off the field," now think of how that pertains to your work environment or home life. It's about not being a hypocrite. When it hits the fan, you have to be strong and step to the front before anyone else and own it, for better or worse. When the team loses, its my fault. And when they win, they got it done. Period.
Its right there in the word, LEADership. LEAD. If you are your actions, this one is easy. If you're not your actions, then you're just not a leader.
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Most people know I grew up a Penn State fan, a Joe Paterno die hard fan... and we died hard. Why? Because this above rule wasn't used. Had coach put his words into action, the history books and the University would be very different today. I really think that's the most glaring use of this rule. His actions and the actions of his bosses, fell incredibly short and because of it, children were hurt badly, his reputation was forever ruined, the University's image tarnished, and for this one fan, a moral hero was forever erased.
When you have the opportunity to step up and do the right thing, do the right thing. If you witness something, step up. If someone needs your help, step up. Even when you think you may be in danger or you fear losing your job or that someone may be angry with you, step up and do the right thing. Turning away, acting like you didn't see it, that's a coward move and karma will bite your ass hard one day.
Why are searching for strong, real leaders? Because too many at the "top," (or so we like to think) sit there and save their asses, while never rolling the dice and having any balls to stand up for whats right, regardless of what the outcome may be.
When the clock runs out, no ones going to remember what you drove or what your 9-5 was. They're going to remember what you DID, what your actions were, and how you treated people.
