The older I get, the more I realize that a leader's example is his most powerful tool. This seems obvious to us, but how many of us get caught up in spending our time working and trying to accomplish things instead of developing our character and building the people around us?
One area where we can see this disconnect is in the area of mentoring. We may believe in the importance of but still succumb to the temptation of outsourcing the mentoring of our followers to others (professionals), because the fact of the matter is that mentoring is time-consuming.
Yet how much impact will that mentoring have when the followers see that the leader doesn't have time for it himself? How important can it be? When you get to be the leader, it is not a priority?
Again, the truth is that lessons are more caught than taught. The example of the leader is his most powerful tool.
"existing leaders themselves must participate in the teaching and developing of emerging leaders. They should not merely delegate this role to others. Leaders must personally act as coaches, role models, teachers and mentors. They must share their lives with those around them – their mistakes as well as their victories. True leaders are builders of leaders."
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