Okuzeka
Management & Leadership vocabulary · Leadership Styles and Skills

Lead by example

Meaning in management & leadership, with examples

idiomCore term

In management & leadership, lead by example means: To guide people by behaving in the way you want them to behave, rather than only telling them what to do.

In Turkish: örnek olmak, örnek olarak liderlik etmek, önce kendisi yapmak

How it is used

A common phrase in leadership talks, appraisals and speeches, and it is usually positive. A manager who leads by example arrives on time, follows the same rules as everyone else and takes on difficult tasks too.

Example sentences

  1. If you want the team to reply to emails quickly, you have to lead by example.

  2. Our plant manager leads by example and wears full safety gear on the shop floor.

Common collocations

  • always leads by example
  • set an example
  • set a good example
  • lead from the front
  • leadershipThe ability to guide a group of people towards a shared goal, and the act of doing so, through example, influence and clear direction rather than authority alone.
  • servant leadershipA leadership approach in which the leader's main role is to serve the team, by supporting people's growth and removing obstacles, rather than to control them.
  • hands-onPersonally involved in the practical, day-to-day work rather than only directing it from a distance; also used for training that involves doing things.
  • accountabilityThe duty to answer for the result of a task or decision, which includes explaining what happened and accepting the consequences, even if others did the work.

More terms: Leadership Styles and Skills

Practise with graded reading

Reading at the right level is the fastest way to make new words stick. Pick free English books by level: