Model The Way

The Leadership Challenge presents five attributes of modern leadership.  My previous entires presented the first three attributes of excetional leaders: Challenge the Process, Inspire a Shared Vision, and Empower Others to Act. This submission touches on the forth attribute, Modeling the Way.

Model the Way

Leaders always demonstrate their beliefs and values by their actions and by setting the example. For instance, if you expect your staff to arrive at work on time, then it seems reasonable for you to be ready to go for the first appointment of the day. By modeling the way, you show others how they should behave.  Here are suggestions to help you visualize how you could and should model the way:

• Do what you say you are going to do.
• Be available for the staff. If you have a large office, be sure to connect with the front office staff on a regular basis.
• Communicate the rules. This can be done through vision statements, mission statements, and a comprehensive and up-to-date personnel manual.
• Communicate your values and beliefs. Develop a purpose statement for your practice that can be recited in less than 30 seconds. Concisely and to the point, this statement should reveal what your practice is all about.
• Focus on your priorities, that is, your business priorities. If you have a new marketing initiative, be sure to be upfront about the status of the project. Don’t be invisible.

Modeling the way goes beyond words.  Actions in how you behave illustrate for your team your expectations for their behavior.   Over the years, I have conducted many efficiency studies for physicians interested in improving their bottom line.  What we ultimatley identify is the lack of standards, and more specifically, the lack of support for the standards.  When physicians and practice managers overlook poor staff behaviors, or, they themselves demonstate something less than ideal behavior, it sets the tone for other staff members to behave in similar fashion.  The sure fire way to improve your efficiency, profitability and to create a better patient experience is to hold you staff and yourself to the standards of the practice.  You can begin by modeling the way.

* Adapted from The Leadership Challenge, James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner