It is a truth universally acknowledged that good leaders change the world. But contrary to the popular belief, people don’t simply become good leaders. It requires a conscious effort on their part-continuous handwork and utmost determination. 

However, even when someone’s heart is in the right place, finding the right guidance can be quite a challenge. The Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership model has revolutionized the lives of many. It can do the same for you. All you have to do is pay attention. 

What Are the Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership You Need to Implement Right Now?

 

The Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership Include

• Model the Way, 
• Inspire a Shared Vision, 
• Challenge the Process, 
• Enable Others to Act
• Encourage the Heart.

But there is more to the story. 

1. Model the Way-Good Leaders Walk the Talk

Actions speak louder than words-that is probably the biggest lesson we can take from history. When it comes to leaders, it is not what they say that matters, but rather what they do. One can not expect to be a great leader if there is a disparity between the way one talk and the way one conduct their behavior. Such leaders may get awards and titles, but never the respect of the team. 

But this approach is not all that simple. To do this more coherently, you need to set up a few guidelines for yourself. Start by assessing the values, beliefs, and ideas that dictate your behavior. These should be consistent and a guiding principle for you in all walks of your life.

But identifying your values is not enough. As a leader, you have to inspire so many others. It is hence important that you validate and conform with some of the best-shared values that exist in your team. You need to go beyond what is right and what is wrong and focus on what is subjectively right and wrong for a set of people. Only then can you get their utmost respect. 

It is worth mentioning that the survey conducted by Kouzes and Posner identified honesty, forward-looking and inspiring behavior, and competency as the main attributes of good leaders. Honesty made up for around 90% of the responses, so when starting your journey as an exemplary leader, make sure you exhibit utmost honesty and integrity. 

2. Inspire a Shared Vision-Look Beyond Yourself and Achieve Greatness

Shared values and shared vision have a much higher chance of succeeding than individual values and individual vision-that is a known fact. 

There are two ways to go about it. As a leader, you can assess what the possible shared vision might be and convince your team that this is the path that you should follow. On the other hand, you can get inspiration from your team and accept their shared vision as the primary motivator in your business. The final decision should depend on which shared vision predicts the most successful in the future. 

When the team leader and the team have different visions and are not aligned on core issues, it can lead to the utmost disaster for the business. If the team is not on the same page, you will have to coerce or compel them to do a certain thing. 

You will never be able to inspire them-this is bad news for business. Employees rarely put their heart and soul into something that they don’t believe to be the right course of action. So before you jump on any bandwagon, make sure you are making the right decisions for your team. 

3. Challenge the Process-Good Leaders Don’t Bow Down to a Mediocre System

Look around the world, almost everywhere you see, people are protesting against the status quo. And rightfully so, too. 

Status quo and norms are upheld, not always for the benefit of society, but often at the cost of it. It is up to good and revolutionary leaders to muster up the courage and change the system. Any leader that wants to please everyone ends up sticking to the routine and failing to make any meaningful contribution to the world. 

But challenging the process isn’t always doing grand things or opposing the biggest metrics that govern the land. It often starts with a few simple things that matter to your business and your team. For example, when Rosa Parks wanted to take a stand against racism, she did not gather a huge crowd and burned the capital. 

She simply refused to let go of her seat. That is how good leaders inspire others. They challenge the system and the process and keep doing so until it becomes more equitable or more favorable to them. 

But innovation is not always inward. Leaders are often inspired by those around them: their team and their competitors. The rush of enthusiasm and excitement that follows often compels leaders to rise above their situation and do something exceptional. 

So anyone looking to create waves should eliminate the fear of risks. Take as many as you need until you create enough ripples in the water. We have just the right platform for you. 

4. Enable Others to Act: Inspire, Not Force Change

Regardless of how great an individual is, no greatness can be achieved alone. Behind every leader, there is a team that backs them up and supports their decisions. For grandiose dreams to work, leaders need to appeal to the revolutionary nature of their team. They have to inspire obedience, commitment, and passion in their team. But there is a catch. 

Some leaders will create a facade and simply say things they don’t mean. They may say things like ‘your work was appreciated, and your opinions were given weightage’ while not meaning any of it. Most team members can see through the bull shit and resent their leader.

Good leaders understand that they can’t achieve greatness alone. They also realize the importance of learning from others. They will go out of their way to accommodate the opinions of their team members. This helps them cater to everybody’s needs while also executing their initial plan. When leaders listen to their team members, their appreciation also sounds genuine-something that can be felt by the team members. 

It is also essential that the team feels validated and appreciated. Make sure you spend a significant amount of time building rapport with them and ensuring them that they are valued by you. This can act as one of the biggest motivators for them. 

5. Encourage the Heart: The Soul Speaks Louder Than the Mind

Encouraging the mind is one thing, but encouraging the heart and soul can guarantee extraordinary results. If you appeal to someone’s logical side, you may be able to get short-term benefits. Your team members may work with you as long as it makes sense to their rational minds. 

However, if you appeal to their emotional side, you may get them to stay with you through thick and thin. They will trust you enough to side with you and follow your vision even when they don’t understand the nitty-gritty of it. The latter is what every revolutionary leader wants. 

But encouraging the heart should never be out of malice or because of selfish reasons. You should show genuine concern and care for them and validate their needs. You should value their contribution and efforts-no matter how small. 

Additionally, celebrating small victories can also make people feel like they belong. Aiming for bigger things is okay, but that should not stop you from celebrating small milestones. This makes people feel like they are part of something big. 

Why Is It Important to Be an Exemplary Leader?

Every great invention and every great event that has happened in the past has been carried out by an exemplary leader. These are people who inspire long-lasting change, not just in people around them, but also in the generations that come after them. They set the highest standards for themselves, and then do all they can to abide by those standards. 

If you want to create an impact and leave behind a legacy-whether in an organization or society, you have to adopt the five practices of exemplary leadership. They will prove to be a game changer for you. 

Learning Good Leadership Through Practice With Best Diplomats

Ordinary people can become great leaders. You may see great leaders and think that they were always like that. Truth be told, it takes years of practice and hard work to create great leaders out of ordinary people. 

At Best Diplomats, extensive training, coupled with on-hand practice exercises, help you learn the subtle art of great leadership. If you want to inculcate all five practices of exemplary leadership in your personality, we recommend you register with Best Diplomats today. A once-in-a-lifetime experience awaits you.

Conclusion

Good leaders make or break an organization. For most, it is the latter option. In the perfect world, you will have the best leaders leading the best teams. However, leadership skills are not inherited. They have to be learned through extensive practice. However, it is good to have a list. 

The five practices of exemplary leadership give you a framework on which to build a proper foundation. The rest of it, you will figure it out along the way. 

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