“Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity,
dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame,
having nothing evil to say about you.”
Consistency is about walking the talk. I’ve seen it demonstrated in the best fashion with many professional athletes. Michael Jordan, Peyton Manning, Derek Jeter, Kobe Bryant, Lebron James, and Tom Brady are just a few of the examples of leaders who demonstrate consistency day-in and day-out. They walk the talk. They understand that setting a positive example for others speaks louder than words could ever do.
Consistency is about servant leadership. That is, putting others before your personal interests, and demonstrating the same actions and behaviors daily. It’s about modeling the things you want your people to do. I’ve seen many clients who do this and the results they achieve are very impressive. When they set a vision, hold people accountable to certain results, and then model the way the team should perform, the sky is the limit to overall performance. This is because consistency inspires others. It galvanizes and unites people to collectively pursue the same objectives.
Here’s how to exercise greater consistency in your leadership.
- Get Your Guiding Principles in Order: Identify your most important values and beliefs. Do you value affiliation? Influence? Security? Power? Aesthetics? Find out what your top values are and communicate them to your team. Look for ways to identify what each of your team members value, and find a way to do some team building around it. This will help people better understand one another.
- Outline Your Ethical Code of Conduct: What is the way you want your people to behave? How do you want them to interact and partner with one another? What are your non-negotiables? Outline what you will stand for, and make clear what will not be tolerated. Share this with your team and make sure all are aligned.
- Demonstrate Integrity: This is all about modeling the appropriate behaviors for others. We inspire others in the greatest way when they believe we stand for something greater than personal gain. When integrity is one of your highest values, you do not settle for cutting corners or taking shortcuts. You practice what you preach and it resonates with others.
Consistency is so important to effective leadership. You cannot influence others if they do not believe in what you stand for, and if your actions are not congruent with the words that you preach.
