What makes consistency a desirable leadership quality? Anything you do repeatedly becomes a habit, and a habit is hard to break. As a leader, you want to be known for forming a variety of good habits (treating people fairly, encouraging others, being empathetic, leading by example, making quality decisions based on relevant facts, etc.). This article suggests six strategies for developing consistency.
6 ways to build consistency
- Make it your motto.
Commit to being consistent by developing a personal motto. Regarding time, for example, my motto is to always be on time or ahead of time. I have held this philosophy for a long time. As a result, people know that I squeeze the most out of every 24 hours and don’t let others waste my time.
- Be constant wherever you go.
Simply put, apply it to every area of your life. Consistency across the board has a compounding effect. You will excel in your professional and personal life.
- Communicate your philosophy to others.
Communicating your philosophy to others is risky (when you don’t practice what you preach, you will be held accountable) but necessary. Why? Knowing what the leader respects is beneficial to the leader and his followers. The leader serves as a positive role model. Over time, others will want to emulate what they see.
- Stay the course.
Stick to your guns. Do not hesitate. Hesitating is like wondering and this insipid way of behaving confuses the people around you. One of the fastest ways to lose followers is to be inconsistent. In addition to appearing as the jekyll Y hide of decision making, you cause confusion. Consequently, confusion breeds fighting and disrespect. Lead by example.
- Encourage others to practice consistency.
When you value something, the natural tendency is to promote it. All things considered, you walk the walk and talk for the sake of talking. Therefore, take the opportunity to discuss consistency during meetings and one-on-one training sessions. Explain what it is, how it can be applied, and how it contributes to success. Set a goal to encourage others to be consistent in their professional and personal lives. Wherever you go, you are always there.
- Recognize it and reward it.
Recognize and reward people for being consistent. How? Together, let’s count the shapes; consistency covers a lot of territory. Some are constantly on time. Some appear constantly, no matter what. Some constantly bring out the best in others. Some consistently give 200%. Some constantly express compassion. Hold a brainstorming session to generate ideas.
