Ask just anyone what a role model is, and they will likely tell you about someone famous or someone they knew personally who influenced them and helped them become a better person. The American Heritage Dictionary defines “role model” as “a person who serves as a model in a particular behavioral or social role for another person to emulate.”

However, in today's society, many so-called role models are celebrities and accomplished athletes have failed to live up to the term. For example, I found this old quote from pro golfer Tiger Woods: “I think it’s an honor to be a role model to one person or maybe more than that. If you are given a chance to be a role model, I think you should always take it because you can influence a person’s life in a positive light, and that’s what I want to do. That’s what it’s all about.”

Woods is one of the best golfers in the history of the sport. But no matter how great he is at golf, is that enough to earn him the title of “role model”? I don’t think so anymore --- and neither do his departed corporate sponsors.

That’s what we have to keep in mind as executives and leaders, too. We have a responsibility to serve as role models in our organizations and our communities. Especially in today’s environment when news headlines seem to focus on the bad examples of executive behavior, we must always remember that leaders are held to a higher standard and should act in ways that earn the respect of others. Respect is not a gift that comes with the title of chair, CEO, CFO, etc.; it is something that is earned daily by the actions we take that reflect our core values.

Many who have achieved success can attribute their achievements to the support and advice they received from a role model, such as Alex Rodriquez who was guided by Cal Ripkin Jr., Barbara Walters who was counseled by Mike Wallace, John Major who was mentored by Margaret Thatcher, Michael Jordan who was coached by Phil Jackson, Martina McBride who was taught by Reba McIntyre … and Luke Skywalker who was counseled by Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda.

But did you also know that Fidel Castro molded Hugo Chavez and Joseph Stalin developed Nikita Khrushchev? While we tend to think about positive role models, also remember that negative influences can inflict a lot of damage.

When you single out people to be role models in your organization, evaluate not only their specific skills and experience, but what kind of attitude, behavior and values they possess. Making selections based solely on a narrow criteria or skill set carries risk. For example, I recently observed a CEO who was consistently singling out the work that his CFO did in creating reports and PowerPoint presentations.  But his peers saw him as a brown-noser and an untrustworthy shark who took their ideas and claimed them as his own. The singling out by the CEO sends the message to others that this is the desired behavior in the organization. Pretty soon, the whole executive team will driven soly by personal advancement instead of working for the good of the team. Dysfunctional behavior will reign.

Thus it is important that your role models aren’t road apples.  For instance, if a football coach is committed not only to developing good football players, but also developing well rounded young men who will be successful beyond their football years, then he must be very careful in selecting role models for his team.  His first instinct might be use former players who were skilled players and who achieved accolades for their skill. However, if those individuals have not been as successful in life off the football field or their personal behavior is not respected by reasonable people, then the coach is risking the culture of the team as well as the respect of his community.

I’ve observed this example first-hand, and believe that if the coach would have selected individuals who were well-rounded and balanced in life; who were positive, honest, compassionate, intelligent, and articulate; and who had demonstrated success in life as well as in football, the team would have benefitted and the coach would have gained more outside support.

I recall when a vice president of sales and marketing chose his top sales rep to give the keynote address at the annual national sales meeting, despite this top rep’s reputation for excessive drinking and extra-marital activities. The VP thought the top rep would be a good role model because of his sales success, but the other reps didn’t respect the guy because of his personal behavior. The whole thing created a lot of trouble for the VP because he forgot that role models must also have values and behaviors that support a larger notion of success.