It sounds like “That was my mistake” rather than “My new employee doesn’t know what he’s doing.”
It sounds like “I appreciate your ideas, please tell me more at our meeting” rather than “Can you just email me? I don’t have time to talk about this.”
It sounds like “I trust you to make the right decisions” rather than “You’ll need my manager’s key to actually make any changes or help any customers.”
It sounds like “Thank you for coming in early today. I appreciate your hard work” rather than “About time. Let’s get started.”
It sounds like “I can help you” rather than “Let me find someone else to help you whose time isn’t as valuable as mine.”
It sounds like “I’m not leaving until this is done” rather than “I’m heading out. Make sure that’s finished by the morning.”
It sounds like “Thanks for the critique and for helping make this organization better” rather than “You can’t talk about me like that.”
It sounds like “I trust you” rather than “Report how you spend every minute and every dollar.”
It sounds like “I couldn’t have done this without you” rather than “I succeed because I work harder than you.”
It sounds like “My door is always open” rather than “Don’t bother me unless it’s really important.”
It sounds like “What is your dream job?” rather than “Do you fit the job description I just wrote?”
Real leadership isn’t found in a title or a fancy office or a $3,000 suit. It’s found in every word you speak, every impression you give.
Do you sound like a real leader?
Be real, get real, and show real leadership.
*Image courtesy West Point-U.S. Military
As a speaker and author, Curtis Zimmerman has impacted over one million people with his life-changing messages and award-winning programs. Curtis is an expert at transforming organizations by inspiring individuals to live their lives at performance level.
Want to be inspired? Check out his podcast The Next 24 Hours.
