Do You Have a Leader's Compass?

Do you have a written Leadership Philosophy that is well known by all the people in your company? It’s good for everybody when the top person knows exactly what to expect of him/herself. Creating your own personal Leader’s Compass is an easy task that will reap enormous benefits.

Here’s a start: Come up with a set of guidelines for how you intend to conduct yourself as a leader.

Below are seven guidelines for how to conduct yourself as a leader. Of course you probably have some good ideas for yourself. But, if you’re having trouble getting started, here are some to get you going.

1. Be approachable and in control of yourself. If you can’t control yourself on a regular basis how will employees believe you can control the company during setbacks and emergencies? If you are not approachable they will stop bringing you bad news, and that is really bad news for you!

2. Be consistent. People need to know what to expect and what is expected of them. That is impossible to do if the leader wants something different every day.

3. Be fair and just. There’s no measuring stick for the ambiguous idea of being fair. Just ask yourself at the end of every day, “Did I do all I could to be fair and just with my employees?”

4. Set the Standard. The company leader sets the standard. It is extremely rare that anybody below you will set a higher standard than that which they see you setting. If you overlook problems or small details and don’t say anything, then the new standard is that those problems are not important. You are constantly being watched and you are constantly setting the standard … whether you are aware of it or not.

5. Continuously supply energy and enthusiasm for whatever is to be done. Be the most excited person in the company for the arduous and undesirable tasks. No matter how much you don’t want to do something, do it with enthusiasm. As in rule # 4 – nobody will be more enthusiastic than their boss about what is to be done.

6. Be Yourself … but always be a leader. Your employees will never forget the sight of you doing shots at a bar in an attempt to be "one of the crew". And once you do it you have given up your place in their eyes as their leader. Don’t try to be somebody else and don’t try to be popular with your staff. They want you to be their leader more than they want you as a friend.

7. Make employees proud that you are their leader! When you walk into the office in the morning, employees shouldn't be thinking, “I wish that SOB would retire!” They should be thinking – “That’s MY CAPTAIN, I’ll follow him anywhere!” Establish behaviors and conduct that will make you the leader that your staff is proud to follow.

It's important to define a leadership compass that will guide you to being the most effective leader you can be for your company. Take a stab at writing your own leadership guidelines.