Catching More Flies & Other Old Adages: Simple Wisdom for Leadership

Catching More Flies & Other Old Adages: Simple Wisdom for Leadership

There are a few things my grandmother used to say, it’s as if she there were certain phrases she set to auto response. Growing up with your grandparents and great grandparents in walking distance is a blessing coupled with constant reinforcement of manners. The old cliche “ You can catch more flies with honey than vinegar”, has always resonated within. About 7 years ago during my first few years, a successful assistant principal brought these words to my remembrance. When it comes to leadership, treating people well sometimes gets lost in a laundry list of things to do. The little tidbits our grandparents and parents gave us still count. Look others in the eye and offer undivided attention when communicating. Here are a few others that can be applied to leadership:

A Good Beginning Makes a Good Ending

Start the way you want to end up. It’s important to spend time building relationships with those we lead just like our students. Simple things such as remembering to ask about an ill parent or spouse go a long way. The more effort you put into building a solid relationship, the more you set the stage for a positive work climate.

A House Divided Against Itself Cannot Stand - Abraham Lincoln

From the famous House Divided speech of 1858 one of our country’s leaders proclaimed that a house divided against itself cannot stand. It is impossible to move any organization forward if members of that organization are all on different pages. It is crucial to create shared vision and goals with your staff. Allow employees to participate and work closely with them to develop policies and procedures. In addition to including those that have a hand in making the vision come to pass, be prepared to be consistent and follow through. For example, if the staff develops a disciplinary procedure all staff (from the leader to every department) must be consistent. Inconsistency leads to division.

Actions Speak Louder Than Words

Your employees need to see you doing everything you’re requiring. If you’re communicating that there is a culture of respect, they need to see you being respectful. The same principle goes along with other requests such as time and effort.

Bad News Travels Fast

Choose words carefully and be mindful of the actions that are displayed. Be careful, strategic, and cognizant of what is being said. Resist the temptation to be negative and condescending. Once it starts, everyone will know. When disciplining an employee be sure to stay focused and not let personal preferences creep in, once they do everyone will know. Your reputation often precedes you so keep this in mind.

The list of cliches goes on and on. Almost all of them offer positive words that speak to the challenges of leadership. When interacting with others, keep these in mind. Remember you can catch more flies with honey.