As an athlete and lifelong sports fan, one of the saddest things to see is the continued lawlessness of many professional athletes. Like it or not, these folks assume a unique role in our society and people look to them as leaders. It doesn't matter that they don't want to be role models, because the position they are in provides them with a certain level of rights and privileges that many of us don't enjoy. And with rights come responsibility.

As a manager or leader in the retail environment, the people you oversee look up to you. The more successful you are and the faster you have moved up the chain of command, the more people look to you as a role model. With added rights come added responsibilities. So you should be prepared to lead your team by modeling positive leadership behaviors.

Modeling positive leadership

Most leaders achieved their position by learning a little more, taking a few more risks, and focusing on personal development. As a leader, you need to continue to model these behaviors or your team will not continue to grow. So ask yourself these questions:

- When was the last time I read a book?
- When was the last time I took a course on a topic unfamiliar to me?
- When was the last time I reviewed and updated my goals and plans?
- When was the last time I helped someone on my team learn how to develop the same skills I've developed?

These are just a few of the questions leaders should ask themselves on a regular basis. Like it or not, your team will grow as you grow, stop as you stop, and look for you to be their role model.

For more on developing your leadership skills, take one of our personal development courses today!