The language of leadership, in terms of integrity, credibility, competence, and role modelling, has been a major topic in recent days. Something our Prime Minister is lacking in according to many of his colleagues. However, it is encouraging that some Ministers have made personal sacrifices to their careers to maintain their integrity, be true to their values, and be the role models we need.
Back in March, I wrote an article about whether integrity is becoming extinct. Current news suggests that it still thrives in many places, and it is a core value for the British people. In April, my article was on corruption and power, and it is easy to see how some will do anything to hang onto that power for self-gratification rather than the greater good.
“Whoever is careless with the truth in small matters cannot be trusted with important matters.”
Albert Einstein
Our two most popular courses, Language of Leadership and Speaking as a Leader focus on integrity, trust, values and credibility. People are often surprised when they reflect just how important these aspects are for a leader and the impact they have. This can be in Government, the workplace, or the most important leadership role of all – parenthood.
The Importance of the Language of Leadership
The language used to define leadership is hugely varied. The internet has some great examples but here are three I chose:
‘Leaders are there to serve others. People vote with their energy, dedication, loyalty, talent, and actions. They are likely to put more effort in for leaders who are there to serve others, not just their own needs.’
Unknown
“Leadership is a reciprocal relationship between those who choose to lead and those who elect to follow … based on an underlying need that serves a specific purpose.”
Kouzes and Posner
“Leaders have a significant role to play. They set the tone, convey vision and principles, role model the required behaviours and create the environment in which people thrive.
Judith Leary-Joyce
You cannot be a leader unless you have followers and people are becoming more discerning in who they will follow. The eyes of followers are on their leader and assess whether their behaviours are congruent with what they say. If trust is broken and leaders are only self-serving, the loyalty and energy of followers will be limited.
The language you use on a daily basis will impact on people’s willingness to change, be accountable, engage, commit to your vision, innovate and trust you. Your words, tone, actions, and behaviours will set the culture for those who follow you.
Integrity
No matter what you say or how you say it, to be believed, your subsequent actions must match your words. It is important to be true to yourself, your values and your word.
As a leader you build an emotional bank account with your followers. The currency for this account is trust, integrity, respect, kindness, consistency, commitment, etc. You can spend years building up your account with people, but disappoint in any of these and you can instantly go seriously ‘overdrawn’. We are seeing this in Government right now.
Trust
Trust is a fundamental human need in every dimension of life and must be earnt. It is a two-way street, which can take years to build, yet be destroyed in seconds. It is a fundamental component of your emotional bank account.
You have the ability to establish, grow, extend and restore trust with your teams but are you doing that? To build trust you have to be trustworthy, so you need to understand and pay attention to trust and work to create and maintain it every day.
According to Kouzes and Posner, there are certain behaviours that can positively contribute to how others see you as trustworthy. By examining your daily actions and asking four key questions you can go a long way to enhancing your reputation as someone who is trustworthy.
Is my behaviour predictable or erratic?
If your behaviour is confusing, indecisive, or inconsistent others cannot depend on you to behave in certain ways in similar situations. They cannot make reasonable decisions about how you may react under new or different circumstances. Some degree of consistency will help them believe in you. Consistency means that the same personal values and organisational aims will influence what you say and do.
Do I communicate clearly or carelessly?
Sometimes we make statements about our intentions without realising that others view that as promises. You may not intend commitment, but if others interpret them as such, they may well believe you are unreliable. When you are clear about what you mean, there is less chance that others will find your statements misleading.
Do I treat promises lightly or seriously?
If we treat our own commitments seriously, others will too. Problems arise when people have different perceptions of the importance of both your word and the circumstances required to justify not keeping your promise.
Am I forthright or dishonest?
If you knowingly mislead or lie; for example, making a promise you never intended to keep; then other people have good reason not to trust you. There is no such thing as a little bit of dishonesty. Discovering someone has been deceitful casts doubt about everything he or she says and does. Greater disclosure between people generally makes for better working relationships and easier resolution of problems should they arise.
Legacy
Only time will tell what Boris Johnson’s legacy will be and for what he will be remembered. But what kind of legacy do you want for yourself?
“A leader’s legacy is a by-product of the historical decisions one makes driven by his or her personal values. In other words, a solid legacy plants the seeds from which consistency and expectations sprout that, in turn, become the organisational funnel for future performance.”
Jeff Boss, Forbes
Leaders who not only aspire for more, but also do more, create legacies that people remember and espouse. They transfer their knowledge, expertise, and lessons learned onto others to keep the empowerment in an upward spiral.
“Firm in purpose, gentle in execution, justly confident in his own judgement, yet generously open to the opinion of others; liberal & indulgent to his brethren, but ever mindful of his duty to the public.”
William Babington’s epitaph, St Paul’s Cathedral
Couldn’t we do with more leaders like that now? What do you want people to say about you when you leave the company or department? It is worth writing it down. If that’s what you want them to say in the future, then you need to start living it now!
If you would like to learn more about the language of leadership or Speaking as a Leader, please contact me
Also published on Medium.
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