I have also seen this quote written as “Example is not the main thing in influencing others. It is the only thing.”
Why is example so important to leadership and what does this quote mean? Being a leadership example means that you behave as you would like your team to behave. If you are encouraging your team to be excellent or detailed in their work, then you as their leader should give excellence and pay attention to details too.
Example leadership is sometimes described as a leadership style; however, I believe it is a leadership necessity. The reason for this is that, you cannot be a leader who encourages your team to do one thing but then does the opposite. You cannot reprimand your teams for coming in late and yet you do the same. You cannot demand that they deal with customer complaints professionally and in a timely manner, when you avoid handling customer complaints and often are unavailable to assist in problem solving. You cannot demand your teams to work late while you are the first one out the door.
Actions speak louder than words and your teams are always watching you. They take note of everything you do as a leader. If your actions are inconsistent to your words, then your teams will have no motivation to do the same.
Leading by example fosters a sense of confidence in their leader and most importantly trust. Trust in team work is key to collaboration, performance and staff retention. Leading by example helps create a cohesive team and a productive working environment simply because everyone is involved.
