Chapter 4: Attaining Personal Mastery, Inspiring Vision, Motivating Action, Achieving Results

OVERVIEW

As my litter was borne to the rear my hat was placed over my face, and soldiers by the road-side said, "He is dead, and they are telling us he is only wounded." Hearing this repeated from time to time, I raised my hat with my left hand, when the burst of voices and the flying of hats in the air eased my pains somewhat.

—JAMES LONGSTREET, FROM MANASSAS TOAPPOMATTO

Strong leaders build healthy cultures. To make a positive and productive impact on human activity, leaders must model the partnering behaviors they expect from others. People look at what leaders do rather than at what they say. The adage "walk the talk" seems more relevant than ever, as people have become more communication savvy as a result of being constantly barraged by media messages and political spin. People have learned to filter the disingenuous and inauthentic rhetoric that is passed off as the truth to decipher the hidden meanings and realities of convoluted messaging by looking for congruity with behavior. When they see congruity, they tend to believe in the authenticity of the individual and the message. When they see contradiction, they tend to dismiss them both.