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PROGRAM D-7558

I would imagine that some of you have never thought of yourself as a role model. Maybe that’s because you’re still young, or because you are not an assertive person, or you don’t have leadership gifts. But all of us are role models, and there are people in your life whom you influence. Therefore, you have a responsibility as a believer to make sure you are a godly role model.

There are people on your job that look at you as a role model. Maybe you have a new co-worker who is looking to you for training or help as he or she begins. You are a role model to that person. Your work habits and your work attitude will set a standard for that new employee. If you’re never on time for work, why should they be? If you bad mouth the boss, they will to. But if you are a diligent worker and you show a godly attitude toward the boss and the job, that new co-worker will be more likely to conform his or her behavior to yours, since you’re the senior person on the job.

Anyone who has a position of leadership is always role modeling, whether you like it or not. I often remind managers that if you want to be a good manager, you don’t have the luxury of being in a bad mood because if you’re in a bad mood, everyone who works for you will be in a bad mood before the day is over. That’s because as a leader, you are a role model and your attitude is very contagious.

Ask yourself this question: How do you react to stress and crises on the job? Do you go into gripe mode? Do you exhibit a bad attitude? Do you overreact? If so, you are setting that example for your co-workers, your employees, even for your management.

One way to evaluate your effectiveness as a role model on your job is to ask yourself: If everyone else in the company was like me, worked as hard as I do, was as loyal as I am, managed their time like I do, went the extra mile as much as I do, had the same attitude I have, would we have a better company? A godly role model on the job will raise the performance standards for everyone they influence.

Isn’t that an exciting prospect? Regardless of who you are or what position you have in the company, you can have a positive impact by simply being a positive, godly role model. You will raise the bar so that others will want to jump higher and do better.