Leaders are judged by their own words

In leadership roles everything we do will be scrutinised. Our own actions will be judged against what we say are our expectations of others. So we need to be careful what we say.
 
In the UK a politician, Michael Gove, is in charge of Education. In his control is the school’s inspectorate called Ofsted. Michael Gove has said that the leadership of Ofsted needs “refreshing”.
 
Interpreting the word refreshing could give many meanings, especially in politics. But looking beyond this, his statement begs the question, ‘If refreshing leadership is a good idea, does the leadership of the education department need refreshing?’ In other words do you need to be replaced in the spirit of refreshing?
 
Few leaders ever say that their role needs refreshing as they see themselves as irreplaceable. But the lesson for us is that we need to be careful what we say as we will be measured by the same criteria.
 
If we say being on time for meetings is important, leaders need to be on time. If we say being positive at all times is important, leaders need to be positive at all times. If we say things need refreshing, then we, as leaders, need to be er…