Just today I read a statement by Harold S. Geneen that really got me thinking. He says that leadership is practiced not so much in words as in attitude and in actions. A woman I know who was assigned to a key administrative position, had the habit of drowning herself in a sea of fancy words, but was unable to earn the respect of her staff. Her eloquence was impressive, though. The problem was that nobody was buying it. Based on this declaration by Mr. Geneen, people still tend to pay more attention to what you do versus what you say. So that old adage: actions speak louder than words is still valid today.

If youre in a position of leadership, always remember that your team, your personnel, and the people you work with are constantly watching you; be sure to put on a good show!

1. Practice what you preach. Although being a boss might come with a few props, I strongly believe that certain values such as punctuality should be non-negotiable. One of the biggest mistakes you can make is to demand that your personnel show up on time, while you strut in 15 minutes late, holding a cup of coffee. While I worked as the Academic Coordinator at a high-status private school, I made sure to be on the job at least 30 minutes before the required time. It gave me opportunity to greet the early birds and engage in informal chitchat before the stressful environment set in. This same rule applies to many other situations.

2. Be willing to listen. Most people expect their leader to be insightful, bursting with good advice, and a great listener. A friend of mine in an administrative position once commented how difficult it was for her to get her work done sometimes because her staff was constantly dropping in to share their problems. Although in her case she was dealing with an unusually needy group, its important to develop such a rapport with your personnel that they feel at home revealing their vulnerable side to you.

3. Dont play favorites. Its normal to be drawn to certain people more than to others. But as a leader you cant run the risk of showing a preference for a certain person. As soon as your workers detect that you value one employee above another, a very distasteful atmosphere can erupt. Learn to keep your opinions to yourself.

4. Be kind. When people make mistakes, by all means they should be corrected. You do employees a great disservice by allowing them to believe that theyre performing well when theyre not. However, the way in which the person is corrected determines whether he or she will be inspired to work harder and to become more productive, or not. We should never disrespect people, it doesnt matter what their position is in the company.

5. Dont hold grudges. Its very likely that one day youll walk into a room and find that youre the butt of somebodys joke. Learn to laugh it off. Dont take things personally. Your reaction actually determines whether the offensive comments will proliferate or die.