How Lead By Example

Are you a Game of Thrones fan?

If you are, good taste. If you're not, then you are missing out.

Anyway, if you are a ‘GOT’ fan, you will remember the time when Stannis Baratheon stormed King’s Landing.

A king, at the front lines of battle with his men. Climbing the ladder, up the castle walls leading his men to the greatest victory in the history of the seven kingdoms. (They lost).

If this story was lost on you, then let me explain.

Throughout military history, great generals led in the front lines. 

Alexander the Great, Napoleon Bonaparte… Hannibal Barca. Genius of war who fought alongside their men.

Then we try to compare these feats to the modern world of leadership. CEO’s who love to pass the buck, managers with fancy titles who have no idea how to lead teams.  Politicians, scared of their own shadows, full of false promises to protect their own self image, brought up with privilege that make them soft as sh*t.

The most important thing about leadership isn’t styles, communication techniques or KPI’s. It is all about the art of leading by example.

 You need to lead with the values tattooed onto your chest. Everything you say and do needs to be about building the type of culture you want in your organisation. 

If you are soldier and you saw your general running away, sh*tting his pants. You would know that you was f*cked. Do you think Alexander The Great saw a Persian spear and ran for the hills? No, he led in the front, displayed courage, determination and built the legacy of being one the most iconic military leaders in history. 

If you want to be a leader or a great manager. You need to be an unwavering and unstoppable machine, dead set on your goals and ambitions. Behavior is infectious. Like the famous saying ‘Monkey see. Monkey do’. And if you want to lead a great team, you need to show them the pinnacle example of what needs to be done. 

How to lead by example

The biggest thing I see even the most experienced leaders do, is complaining. They moan about workload, stress, internal conflicts with other team members. If you are a serial complainer, learn to shut the f*ck up. 

Complaining is weak, it shows complacency and incompetence.  Would you want a team full of people who complain? No, so don’t show others that it’s an acceptable way of behaving. Stress is normal and as a leader, you will feel pressure. But you need to be a man of action. A problem solver that no matter the situation, will act quickly and purposefully. Not someone who complains and shows fear. 

Another example, if you wanted to build an environment of collaboration, the first step as a leader would be to foster democratic decision-making within your organisation. If you want your team members to put in extra hours and show commitment. You’d need to be prepared to do the same. Being a leader is all about building and showing your commitment to the values of your organisation. And wanting to show others the level of excellence that should be maintained.

I am super against micromanagement. But…

Being a good leader is also being a good mentor. Initially showing others how to do tasks is a great way to path the way for their success. Be a role model, demonstrate exactly what to do and how to achieve it. Then there will be no grey areas of expectation in the future. 

Stannis didn’t just lead men up the ladder, he would go up there a show his warriors how to f*ck people up. Demonstration is the best way to lead, that is a fact. 

As a child how did you learn? You followed others. You are a leader, your people are your children. 

Show them the ropes.

How to show your worth

Many managers go on the path of being a high performing foundational worker within a company. Now as a manager, they understand at a very high level the roles of the people they lead and they will receive a certain level of  mutual respect because of this. For example, think of Pep Guardiola as the world's best football coach. He initially got respect because he was a great footballer himself. 

The reality is, managers have to earn the respect of others by providing value and showing their worth. In a world where every little sh*thead wants to prove you wrong and question your decisions. You need to display complete faith in your skillset. You need to show your worth to your team members before you want to dream about earning their respect. 

This involves showing competency and self-respect. Carrying yourself with the type of presence that demands others to listen to you. Doing things that either make your team's life easier or better. Whether that’s protecting them from conflict, facilitating their personal or professional development. Resonate with them, care about their issues, try to connect with people in order to get them onboard. 

Conclusion

If you want to be a great leader, you need to act intentionally. Navigate through daily situations, by constantly showing integrity in your actions. If you want your organisation to move forward, you need to be the one leading the charge. You need to pave the way for new opportunities whilst standing for the values you represent. 

Think about what you would want to see in someone that led you, or rewind yourself back to the days when you required leadership. What qualities would this person need to show, in your order to gain your respect. 

Make it your duty to be the boss you always wanted. 

Lead by example.

Liam Adcock • January 16, 2025