Welcome Baywalk readers to the February edition of It's all about Focus on Baywalk.com. This month we continue our new millennium articles with a continuation of our series on leadership. I hope you enjoy: "What are you teaching?"

For many, the challenge of meeting the company's goals for the year 2000 revive old concerns regarding the organizations' human resources. It is a commonly discussed concern by leadership across the country, that "employees" lack the motivation, commitment, and values that leadership has taken for granted during the 40's, 50's, 60's, 70's, and even the early 80's. For many individuals, this topic brings a sense of despair when faced with corporate expectations related to productivity and product quality that will enable the organization to differentiate itself from its competition.

What is the answer to this issue?

I am taking the position that the short-term solution is not external, but internal to the organization. True, our education system, and to a greater degree the societal decay of a value system are the areas where the long term rehabilitation of this problem should be attacked. But in the short term, there are no external solutions available to a company that are expedient, feasible, or cost effective. The problem, as best defined, is how to improve our employees' "tool set?"

I would propose that the viable short term solution will require leadership to "teach" employees the work ethic, values, and quality orientation that will promote the achievement of organizational goals. Few of us have ever considered ourselves teachers; that term being reserved for those underpaid individuals that enter the battleground known as public schools daily. Management, in fact, has and should always be teaching and growing employees to higher levels of achievement that ultimately improves corporate performance. Whether we like it or not, our employees "model" our behavior; good or bad.

We teach employees in a variety of ways; but foremost by our example. If you want your employees to be committed and stay until the project is complete, be there with them. Your willingness to be there with them speaks untold volumes regarding your perception of the value of a project and their contribution to its success.

Secondly, act in all ways, as you would have your employees act. You are always on stage and under the scrutiny of your employees. They will look to you as the model to emulate in their work effort. If you expect truthfulness, be truthful. If you expect a direct and straightforward approach to situations, be direct and straightforward with your employees regarding all matters. If quality is the foremost concern of the company, then never accept or put forth a second class effort.

I hope that as you face this years challenges, you will remember that leadership is more than telling your team what to do and how to do it. Invest in your employee's success and reap a harvest of personal and corporate success.

So be a teacher. You will make not only your company, but also the world a better place to live.

See you next month!