Sometimes known as the Golden Rule, and one of my mother’s favourites when I was growing up. Paraphrasing Jesus Christ, it goes…
“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you“
How does this apply in leadership? If the role of a leader is to direct activity of their team, but we don’t want the team to direct the activities of the leader, are we living by the golden rule?
When roles create an asymmetry in relationships, we can rely on principle and values to help us live by the golden rule. For example, respect, loyalty, openness, and courtesy can go both ways, and we love it when they do.
So, can we modify the Golden Rule for leadership? How about…
“Be the leader you would love to follow”
How would you phrase it?