MODEL the WAY
Model the Way is one of the Exemplary
Practices of Leadership from the Student
Leadership Challenge Model. Model the Way
Leaders establish principles concerning the way
people should be treated and the way goals
should be pursued. They create standards of
excellence and then set an example for others to
follow. Because the prospect of complex change
can overwhelm people and stifle action, they set
interim goals so that people can achieve small
wins as they work toward larger objectives.
They unravel bureaucracy when it impedes
action; they put up signposts when people are
unsure of where to go or how to get there; and
they create opportunities for victory.
Leaders are supposed to stand up for their
beliefs, so they’d better have beliefs to stand up
for. Leaders must be clear about their guiding
principles. They must find their own voices, and
then they must clearly and authentically give
voice to their values. Yet leaders can’t simply
impose their values on others and expect
commitment. They have to engage others in
common aspirations. Modeling the Way begins
with the clarification of personal values and
involves building and affirming shared values
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that all can embrace.