Leading - Model The Way—Use Your Own Words

Written by Andrew Lewis in his weekly PMI Leadership newsletter

To successfully express your “self” you must be authentic. Your team has to immediately recognize what you are saying as your own words—and not a speech you’ve assumed from those above.

In all things be authentic—as you work to continue the culture that Dave has established (at Progressive Medical), to hold true to the principles and practices that set us apart from other organizations, you have to be yourself. Genuinely and unabashedly, you.

To do this requires deliberate thought and choice. You have to determine what matters to you and how you can best express it in your own words and ways.

Then go out and live it—matching your words with your deeds and Modeling The Way.

Personal Audit

What have your communications with your team in the last week sounded like? Are your words in alignment with our philosophy as an organization?

If not, why? If so, how and how can you demonstrate this to an even greater extent?

The rub about authenticity is that no one can teach you to be you. You have to discover your voice on your own. Thinking about last week is a good start, now think about what you are planning to communicate tomorrow.