About this quote

Demand standards of others only after you meet them first — authority is earned by action, not speeches. Use that standard to find where you fall short, practice the required skills, and let your behavior remove any excuse.

When to use it

• As a coach, run through the exact drill before sending athletes to practice it; first-hand demonstration makes corrections credible.
• As a manager, complete the first deliverable on a new process so employees see how you expect it done instead of just reading instructions.
• As a parent, show the daily habit you want—if you want kids to read, make time to read in front of them every evening.
• As a mentor, take on a difficult task and let mentees observe your approach; model the problem-solving you want them to adopt.