INsight/ Modeling Proper Behaviors

Ubud, 4 September 2026 — Where do leadership behaviors fall short?

Story

Leadership becomes visible in behaviors. Or does it?

Responding promptly. Acknowledging attentively. Following through. Keeping commitments. Respecting people’s time. Closing loops. Executives will value these. Yet are they put into practice?

Everyday behaviors seem too small to deserve leadership attention. Yet they are not too small. People notice when proper leadership behaviors are lacking. Repeated lapses weaken trust in relationships. When improper behaviors become habitual, the workplace falls short of operating as it should.

Challenge

A significant challenge is for leaders to see their own behaviors as others experience them. Leaders know their intentions. Others experience their behaviors. So where can leaders start to improve?

First, expanding self-awareness by observing themselves in action will help, even if it won’t reveal blind spots. What leaders need to see most is often only visible to the people around them. Second, therefore, is inviting candid, skillful feedback that can help them discover behavioral patterns that are falling short and realize their impact.

Third, genuine curiosity can help leaders explore the gap between how they think they show up and how others experience their behaviors. This is, in itself, an essential leadership practice.

Question

Proper leadership behaviors grow from self-awareness, feedback, and a genuine curiosity to improve.

Seeing their behaviors through other people’s eyes can help leaders discover where seemingly small everyday actions are falling short—and where change could strengthen trust and how people work together.

What can help leaders recognize where their small everyday actions fall short of proper leadership behaviors?

Concept illustration generated with AI