By Maurice Gilbert
Yes, leaders use verbal skills to shape and influence their staff, but a powerful tool less talked about is setting a good example of behaviors your staff can replicate. Here are some things I observed from my favorite supervisor at GE:
- He would volunteer to take on stretch assignments from his boss so he could develop additional skills and gain additional exposure in the organization…..I offered to do the same and he provided great learning experiences.
- Once a quarter he would do a one-on-one lunch with his staff in a nice restaurant off campus, the purpose of which was non-business. He just wanted to develop the relationship. I found myself doing the same with my staff and it just helped to convey, “I care about you as an individual and not just your productivity.”
- While he routinely went to professional conferences, he began to take on speaking engagements and panel discussions. This behavior set him up as an industry subject matter expert that enhanced his reputation within and outside of GE. It wasn’t long before I jumped into doing the same.
A child psychologist friend of mine once told me that children are more inclined to model their parents’ behaviors — not their words. I believe this to be true, and I try to set the best example I can for my staff…I always assume they are attentive.
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Published by Conselium Executive Search, the global leader in compliance search.
