May 17th, 2026 by Mike Manazir – (4-5 minutes)
Your example is louder than your words.
How Do You Lead by Example?
Most leaders think it starts with what you say.
It doesn’t.
It starts with what you do—especially when it’s hard.
In the early light of dawn, a crowd gathered in Sharpeville, South Africa. Unarmed. Determined.
Then the gunfire started.
Chaos. Fear. People running. People falling. People dying.
In the middle of it stood a man who refused to back down—not because he had power, but
because he had conviction.
Nelson Mandela didn’t lead from a podium. He led from his life.
He would spend 27 years in prison.
He could have come out angry. Bitter. Ready for revenge.
He didn’t.
He chose forgiveness. Unity. Reconciliation.
That’s leadership.
It’s not your words. It’s your example that matters.
I learned this in the cockpit—and later in command.
Your people don’t do what you say.
They do what you tolerate.
They do what you model.
If you cut corners… they will too.
If you stay calm under pressure… so will they.
If you take ownership… it spreads.
You are always setting the standard. We used to have a saying that guided me when I was
Executive Officer of the USS CARL VINSON (CVN70), “What you inspect is what you expect.”
In other words, if you walked by a piece of broken or malfunctioning equipment without
directing attention to that piece of equipment, then your crew knew that if you didn’t care, they
didn’t have to either.
The question is—what standard are you setting?
What Leading by Example Really Means
It’s not perfection.
It’s alignment.
Your values – your words – your actions—lined up.
Here’s what that looks like:
Integrity — You do the right thing when it costs you something.
Work Ethic — You don’t ask your team to do what you won’t do.
Accountability — You own the outcome. No excuses.
Respect — You treat people right—especially when you don’t have to.
Growth — You’re still learning. Still improving.
Courage — You step into pressure, not away from it.
Here’s the Truth Many Leaders Miss
You don’t build credibility by talking about standards. You build credibility by living
them—consistently.
Day after day.
Under pressure.
When it would be easier not to.
Lead to Win Principle
“Leadership is caught more than it is taught.” — John Maxwell
Your team is always watching. Not your speeches. Not your intentions. Your behavior.
The Question
If your team became exactly like you – would you be proud of the result?
Next Week: How great leaders take control of their time —especially when everything feels urgent.
Want more powerful leadership lessons from Mike?
- Begin leading from the heart: Order Learn How to Lead to Win | The Manazir Maxims | Leadership Study Guide for Manazir Maxims
- Book Mike to Speak or for 1:1 Executive Coaching
P.S. Know someone trying to build up their people and lead with heart? Forward this to them. It might be the encouragement they need to keep going.
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Let’s lead to win together,
Mike Manazir
Retired Navy Rear Admiral | Bestselling Author | Keynote Speaker | Executive Coach