Employees look up to their leaders for guidance.

As they say, actions speak louder than words, so what managers show their employees stay in their memory much more than what they say; and that includes what they say in meetings, coaching sessions, and even when they’re walking about the office.

Every manager must walk the talk—no matter how many times you tell the organization to work efficiently and have passion for their work if they don’t see you doing it then it will never work. Good business leadership is all about leading by example.

Organizational leadership is the backbone of any business. The group of people leading the company sets the values, culture, and level of passion for everyone, down to the front liners and rank and file employees. Everyone in the organization looks to the example they set as the norm; if the bosses are doing it then it must be okay for staff to do the same.

A leader losses his influence in an organization every time he fails to live up to his words; his subordinates will eventually lose respect and trust in him if he can’t walk the talk. Good business leadership is not about setting goals and dictating how work will be done; good business leadership is showing your staff how to do it and helping them along the way. Talk is cheap, so start walking the talk.

Here are some tips for managers to help set a culture of leadership by example:

“Become the change you wish to see…”

There is nothing more powerful than to see the key leadership team model the work behavior they are requesting from staff. When employees see the boss setting the example following comes easy.

Be the first to follow every rule you set.

It just makes sense that staff will never obey rules that managers themselves don’t follow.

Get your hands dirty every now and then.

Don’t always be the big boss, be a worker and a part of the team, too. Employees look up to leaders who have the first-hand experience of the business. If you think about it, it’s easier for people to emulate someone they see working in the field, rather than someone they’re just watching from afar. This is what good business leadership is all about.

Promote an environment where each one works to help the team achieve important goals.

Be the guide employees need to perform better.

Help your staff trust you.

When you say you will do something, do it. Never make promises that you don’t really intend to keep. Keeping your word will help employees trust your leadership.

Assure your organization of your commitment to excellence and growth.

Make them feel secure to be in your team knowing that they have a committed leader.

The leadership team must be accountable to each other.

Confront each other when someone is unable to perform well. Give feedback and point out inconsistencies in actions. Knowing that you are accountable to someone motivates leaders to perform better.

So much more is expected from leaders and superiors. You can’t just give orders and rules but never really serve as a role model to your staff. You need to walk the talk all the time.

Good business leadership is a continuous process.