Cody Dodd is a NASM-certified personal trainer and Navy Command Fitness Leader who uses his fitness expertise to write fitness content for The DoddFather. Cody has transformed his physique and confidence by understanding the principles of exercise and fitness.
It all started with a radical fat loss of 55 pounds. From 225 to 170. From a kid who once couldn’t do a pull up, to knocking out 20 pullups in a Navy command competition while floating in the middle of the ocean.
He has a diverse writing and editing background that’s primarily focused on health and fitness, Navy life, and dad life. His work has been featured in Good Dads, as well as Platform Launchers, and Daddying.
Do you feel drawn to the guy that tells you why you should follow him? Or do you feel more drawn to the guy who shows you why you should follow him?
I have the belief that actions speak louder than words. I want to follow the guy that sets a good example. Someone who makes a good reputation for himself based on his actions.
In a world where information is cheap, wisdom becomes invaluable. I would like to share with you the keys to how to lead by example. Let me know in the comments section which points resonate with you.
You may discover how you can set a strong example to your peers, and propel yourself into a position of leadership. Or you may notice that you’re already doing some of these things. If you are, chances are, you’re already a strong leader. Whether you realize it or not.
How to Lead By Example | Why Does It Matter?
Leading by example matters in all areas of our lives. Personal, professional, social, you name it. You won’t find a lot of success strong-arming people into believing what you say or doing things your way.
Understanding how to lead by example and why it matters is especially crucial as a parent. Have you ever heard the saying “watch what I do, not what I say”? That’s because talk is cheap. And because children learn by observing their parents. Yes, they hear you – but kids are more likely to repeat their parent’s behaviors.
So what example are you setting for your kids? Are you prioritizing health and fitness? Do you blow up at slight inconveniences? Are you kind to the person that has nothing to offer you? Are you making ethical decisions? Are you being generous with your resources?
I invite you to observe yourself from a third-person perspective and see what kind of energy you’re putting out into the world. You’re leading by example in your children’s lives, but what kind of example are you setting?
5 Key Considerations for How To Lead By Example
Let’s get into the practical application of how to lead by example. I have outlined five of the most important things to keep in mind when using this concept.
1.) Practice What You Preach
If I tell you that I’m a Vegan, and you catch me eating a steak for dinner one day, what are you going to think about me? Probably something along the lines of:
- This guy is a fraud
- I wouldn’t trust him
- He’s just telling me what I want to hear
Now let’s imagine the flip side. If I tell you I work out every day, and you catch me in my gym outfit on multiple occasions, what does that say?
- This guy practices what he preaches
- I could trust him
- He stands firm in his beliefs
The implications of walking the walk spread to all of your relationships. It sets you apart as a leader. Your spouse will trust you, your kids will look up to you, your employer will want to promote you, and you’ll be identified as a leader.
2.) Speak When You Have Something Valuable To Say
They say talk is cheap. There is a lot of truth to that statement! There is a natural inclination to fill the silence with noise, often times verbal noise. I challenge you to be comfortable with the silence.
Everything moves fast, people are begging for our attention everywhere we go. We live in an attention economy. If you can get someone’s attention, you can sell them.
The moment you open your mouth, you tell the world how much or how little you know. That’s why it’s important to speak when you have value to add to the conversation.
If you move like that, people will listen more intently when you do talk. Your words will have more meaning when they are intentional words.
3.) If You Run With The Dogs, You’ll Get Fleas
Who are you associating with? Take the time to inventory your inner circle. You are a reflection of the people you spend the most time with.
If you’re anything like me, you might not even feel like you have an inner circle. Maybe you spend too much time at work(by choice or by obligation), and it’s hard to find the time to build extra social relationships.
You can still consider the people you’re drawn to at work, the ones that you’re more likely to joke around with and talk more about personal matters. You’re drawn to these people for a reason. This could be a good thing too! Some of the qualities, characteristics, and traits you see in these people likely have some similarities to what others see you.
4.) Define Your Priority
This is headed as priority and not priorities for a reason. The concept of having multiple priorities is a relatively new thing. Think about what a priority is – a sole focus. Making that word plural is implying what exactly? That you have multiple things or areas of your life that are your sole focus?
Try writing out your list of priorities and ranking them. It’s hard! But if you don’t define this for yourself, it will be defined for you. Identify what deserves that number one spot. That is your priority. That means if you only have one hour of free time, you are going to use your free time on that. Or, you give most of that time to your priority. This is a must-do. Everything else falls into a should-do, or a nice-to-do category.
5.) Treat Everyone With Respect
How you treat the least likeable person in a room says more about you than it does about that particular person. Nobody is perfect, but we all deserve a base level of respect as a human being.
Seriously, you could change someone’s life by extending kindness to them. Maybe they have been treated poorly their whole lives, maybe they have been dying to have someone love them. Someone to see past the flaws that everyone else sees and ridicules them for.
If you care about fitting in, if you care about other’s perception of you, you are more likely to fall into this behavior. I know I do. It’s the cool thing to do to look down on someone who is less than you. It’s cool to talk about people. It’s cool to make yourself bigger and someone else smaller.
But I think it’s cooler to be a person of humility. Everyone deserves respect.
Conclusion
Understanding how to lead by example can serve you for the rest of your life. People may not remember what you said, but they will always remember how you made them feel. Good leaders model good behavior. Good behavior sets a good example.
Here is a recap of our top five ways to lead by example
- Practice what you preach
- Speak when you have something valuable to say
- If you run with the dogs, you’ll get fleas
- Define your priority
- Treat everyone with respect
There are many ways to lead by example, but there are fundamental principles that govern all of them. So, my question for you is – what kind of example are you setting?
