Have you ever heard this phrase, thought about it or said it: “Walk the talk?”
I have experienced all three.
Recently I spoke to one of my sisters and she reminded me of a phrase our mom would say to us from time to time. The phrase may not be as impactful in its written form as it is when spoken.
But here is what she would say:
Dialect: “Mouth tun crossway fi say anyting”
Non-dialect: “Mouth turn crossway to say anything.”
As I mentioned, hearing it in the Jamaican dialect–patois, pronounced “patwah”–is more impactful.
It simply means that people will say anything but not do as they say.
Another way of it being said is, “talk is cheap.”
Do you know anyone who is guilty of this?
Let’s be more personal: “Are you guilty of such?” Have you ever been accused of being hypocritical in saying one thing but doing another?
To be completely honest, I have.
[FULL DISCLOSURE] There have been times I have said some things that I know has not been true and there are other times that I’ve done things but act as if I’ve never done them. God is still working on me. I’m a work in progress.
Now back to the topic at hand … unforgettable leaders.
Have you ever had a leader who is unforgettable because of the impact they’ve made on you?
What made them that way? The words they spoke? The way they treated everyone? Their consistency?
The leaders who’ve made the biggest impact on me had some or all of the qualities listed below.
I’ve tried to emulate them during my time of leadership with one of the organizations that I served. The good news is that I’ve had many of the people that I’ve led shared directly with me or through other channels, how they see me as an unforgettable leader. I’m humbled.
As a leader, what are you doing to make yourself unforgettable in the eyes of your people?
Here are 7 Qualities that if you do them, you too will be an unforgettable leader. To hear a more expansive description, listen to this broadcast.
1. They are passionate about what they do
It’s not hard to tell that they believe in what they are doing because of how they communicate on the topic. You can hear it in their voice, see it in their eyes, and feel it when you are in their presence.
In my book: The Emotelligent Leader – Succeed Where Others Failed, I call them “The Theromastic Leader” … setting the “temperature” for all.
People want to be around them. Their energy is contagious.
2. Unforgettable Leaders Go First.
They go first to clear the way for those following.
They go first in taking “the bullet” for the team.
They refuse to throw their people under the bus. They rather take the “hit” for them.
3. Unforgettable Leaders are like poker players.
Now, this may seem strange that I use poker players to describe the qualities of unforgettable leaders when I don’t play poker. I wouldn’t know where to start. 🙂
However, the little I know is that poker players are very observation and studios of their opponents.
They watch every move of the other players: their eyes, breathing, and body movements.
Unforgettable leaders do likewise when it comes to their people not to compete with them, but to so know them, that they are better equipped to serve them.
4. Unforgettable Leaders Don’t Wear Makeup.
Don’t have a knee-jerk reaction on reading this. It’s not as it appears.
What is meant here is that unforgettable leaders are the “what you see is what you get” kind of person. He or she doesn’t cover up to make themselves appear to be someone they are not.
They are honest and will be as open as they possibly can be so that their people are well-informed about matters that concern them.
If they can’t share for confidential reasons, they’ll say so.
They’ll own their mistakes and show their warts and all.
5. Unforgettable Leaders Are As Cool As Cucumber.
Have you ever placed refrigerated slices of cucumber on your face? Oh, it’s so cool.
The structure of the cucumber makes it the favorite choice of vegetables facial experts use to create a cool and refreshing experience for ones face.
Have you ever had that done to you? If you’ve had, you know what I’m talking about.
Unforgettable leaders are that cool, especially in crisis moments. They remain calm and collected to not alarm their people more than they might already be.
In my book: The Emotelligent Leader, I call them “Thermostatic Leaders” because they seek to set the “temperature” at just the right setting to keep everyone “cool.”
Again, I explain more about this and the others on the show.
6. Unforgettable Leaders are personable.
People want to be around this kind of leader. They make others feel as if they are welcome. They will make fun of themselves and talk about their personal life in an appropriate manner, where others would want to do the same.
One of their strongest qualities is their smile. They use their facial muscles to communicate warmth.
7. Unforgettable Leaders Celebrates From The Rear
This might sound like a contradiction to #2 above, but it’s not. It is complementary to that quality.
Have you ever watched a championship game and the actions of the winning team’s coach during recognition time? They almost always make sure the spotlight is placed on his or her people.
They’ll talk more about the players than about themselves and their strategies.
They want their people to get the praise knowing theirs will come later. If it never comes, they are OK with that.
Now it’s your turn.
Which of these 7 Qualities are you practicing? Which of them would a member of your team give you high-five for? Which of them do you need to do some or more work on?
Remember, you can hear a more expanded discussion on the Kingsley Grant Show and draw your own conclusions.
To access your FREE COPY of the book mentioned on the show, click on this link: https://www.kingsleygrant.com/freeleadershipbook
Please take a few seconds and leave your thoughts in the comment section of this article. Secondly, if you’d like me to be your next event’s speaker, connect with me. Let’s schedule it.
(previously published on LinkedIn)