Lead By Example

Strong leaders know that actions speak louder than words. If you feel as though you repeat the same messages again and again, take a closer look at your actions.

• Listen. Have an open door and an open mind to ideas and suggestions from others.
• Take care of yourself. Have a healthy work/life balance, eat well, exercise and get adequate rest. Don’t come to work sick or in pain, and take breaks when you need them.
• Show appreciation. Say “thank you” out loud and in public. Pat a person on the back and give praise when he or she does a good job.
• Be fair. Keep your promises and be trustworthy. Treat everyone with humanity and compassion, and give everyone a chance.
• Pitch in. Help out others when they are in need, and don’t be afraid to ask for help yourself.
• Give and accept feedback. Make criticism constructive and professional, not personal. Comment on performance in a way that inspires the person to achieve more. Accept feedback gracefully and put it to good use.
• Be flexible. Don’t concern yourself with being right all the time. Change and grow to suit the job at hand. Give up on techniques that don’t work and be willing to try something new.
• Make expectations clear. Communicate your needs and expectations to employees in clear language and give them a chance to ask questions.

The bottom line: Embody the work ethic, performance and productivity you would like to see in your employees, and light the way.

Here are the best Tweets of the week:

• Worker survey: Morale down, workloads up, productivity suffering http://bit.ly/MDvn8
• Everything you need to know about the H1N1 vaccine http://bit.ly/3vgv61
• How Facebook can ruin your friendships. http://bit.ly/HG90a
• Americans are swallowing 22 teaspoons of sugar each day, and it’s time to cut way back, the Am. Heart Assoc. says. http://bit.ly/1fZcuK
• Proponents say a well-run, longtime wellness program can cut costs by 25%, returning more than $5 for each $1 spent. http://bit.ly/nQDG3

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