What happens when leaders don't lead by example?

As I sat down to write this article, one of the few things I could think about was one of Mahatma Gandhi’s quotes, “An ounce of practice is worth more than tons of preaching.” This is one of the most powerful thoughts I have come across in the past few months.

I believe that if a leader sets some rules for their team, they themselves need to abide by them. They need to lead by example and do what they preach.?

However, some managers think they are above the law and can do whatever they want and like — rules or no rules.?

What exactly can happen when leaders and heads of companies and departments do not lead by example??

It causes low morale and discipline

If one person is above the rules, that makes everyone above them. Except, it doesn’t work in the business world, where success depends on how much everyone respects their duties and the feeling of responsibility every professional has towards their tasks.?

A manager who has no respect for rules and no intention to abide by them is sure to become a reason behind low morale and bad team discipline. Why should teammates be at their workplace from 9 AM to 6 PM, as stated in their company policy, when their leader may not show up at work at all? Why should they complete all tasks on time and respond to all messages right away, when it takes their manager days or even weeks to respond??

This type of manager’s behavior can lead to disappointment and team churn.?

It becomes a source of trust issues

The question of trust in the workplace started to seriously arise when teams started working from home. I remember, at that time, I felt confused. I didn’t know how I was supposed to monitor my team’s performance and what would happen to our productivity and sense of shoulder. Then, I realized — I myself needed to keep things as they had been before COVID, and the team would follow suit.?

That is exactly what happened. And we started trusting each other even more.?

On the contrary, a leader who breaks the rules may as well say, “I am not trustworthy, because I cannot even follow the steps I set for everyone.” Instantly, they turn into one of the most boring and annoying characters of the business world — Leader Two-Face. Now, there is a comic book that would not sell.?

If a team’s leader or manager fails to walk the talk, they lose not only the respect of the team (please refer to the next point) but their trust too. And without trust, no team or business can be effective and long-lasting.

It leads to a loss of reputation and respect

If we take “I do not trust my leader” and put it together with “If they do not have to do it, then I won’t either”, we get a total loss of the foundation of any manager-team relationship — respect. Without it, it is impossible to build anything, and everything will all fall apart eventually.?

As a young CEO, I had to work with teammates who refused to listen to me and respect my opinions. Back then, it was not related to me leading by example, but rather happened because I was a young specialist and was striving to be everyone’s friend. But I know what it is like to be disrespected and dismissed as a manager. And it is hardly productive or pleasant.?

A manager who wants to not only earn but retain the same level of respect throughout their tenure has to follow every rule and guideline and set a good example for their team. It is much easier than losing its trust and respect and trying to earn it back. That is near impossible.?