The Discipline of Consistency

Before consistency becomes a habit, it’s a choice, and being consistent as a leader is one of the most important choices you can make in your career.

When a leader acts inconsistently, their employees do not know what to expect from them. This creates confusion and uncertainty, and it causes you to lose trust as a leader. For example, you cannot pick and choose who the organizational rules and expectations are enforced upon. The expectations you have for your employees should be applied across the board. If you have high standards for one employee, you should maintain those standards with other employees. 

People pay attention, and they will notice if you inconsistently correct and/or reward people for their behaviors. They don’t know how to act around you if they don’t know how you will respond to them. Additionally, your own behaviors as a leader should align with the expectations you have for your team. You must demonstrate the standards you have set for others. This means following through on what you say you will do, abiding by the same rules as everyone else, and producing results at the same or higher level as the rest of your team.

Consistency creates clarity, and clarity creates confidence. By being consistent in both your words and your actions, you are fostering a predictable environment. People like predictability because it makes them feel safe, and when there is a sense of safety within the workplace, employees tend to be more confident and productive. People want to know what to expect when they show up for work, and they want to know that they can depend on you as a leader.

You build consistency within your organization by establishing daily routines and creating systems for getting the work done. This ensures that the results are repeatable, and if you are following the same procedure consistently and are not getting the desired results, you can more easily pinpoint where things are going wrong and make the necessary adjustments. 

Communication is an important aspect of consistency. You want to establish formal communication channels within your organization and communicate with your employees regularly. Keep them in the loop, recognize them for their efforts, and communicate your feedback clearly when a change needs to be made. You should also keep your messaging consistent when communicating with individual employees, departments, other organizations, and the general public. Not only does this eliminate any possible confusion about what you are trying to get across, it also creates brand identity.

The great thing about consistency is that it can be learned. It is not necessarily an innate ability, though it does come more naturally for some people, while others need to be intentional about it. Consistency is a discipline, and as such, it can be strengthened with practice. You may not always feel motivated to act consistently, but if you have the discipline to do so, it becomes easier with time. Eventually, it even becomes a part of who you are. In the words of Tony Robbins, “It’s not what we do once in a while that shapes our lives, but what we do consistently.”

-Meghan Slaughter