It is hard to convince others NOT to do something when they see you do similar things yourself. How can you expect your employees to adhere to an “eight to five” schedule if your own day frequently begins at eight fifteen or ends at four thirty? Forget that you might have been doing company business the previous night, that you were at a meeting before work, that lunch was more of a thought than a action, or that breaks are not part of your daily routine - people SEE you coming in late or leaving early and follow the example they observe. Parents tell their children to obey the rules (as they break the speed limit driving them somewhere), to respect their teachers (as they complain the “boss does not know anything”), and to enjoy life (when they are “too busy doing their own thing” to play catch in the yard).
We all tend to live in glass houses having no shades. It might be wise to concentrate on what we should be doing rather than focusing on what others should not be doing since others can clearly see our thoughts expressed through unfiltered actions. When our actions speak louder than our words – when they begin to reinforce the things we intentionally set out to do – others will follow our example rather than our edict. They will seek our approval rather than seeking to escape our criticism. They will absorb our praise and grow towards the light rather than seeking shelter from reality in the shadows fearing their failures will be displayed in the openness of a glass house.
Our thoughts, actions and attitudes are constantly on public display for the world to see. Do you spend more time trying to put up shades to hide what you do OR do you keep your windows open so others can see your sincerity and follow your lead? The more light we let into our lives, the more we can shed on those around us. Be a shining example in a shadow world by practicing what you preach - fully embracing the results of our actions.
