Consistency is the key

There is something that you can practice in your daily routine that will earn you respect, admiration, and accelerate your movement up the corporate ladder all at the same time. That something is consistency. Let’s take a look at how you can incorporate this into your day.

People are creatures of habit. It has been said that it takes 21 days to form a habit, but it probably takes twice as long to break a bad one. To be successful you have to get all of your employees on the same page, following the same policies and procedures, right?

This is where it gets difficult. How am I supposed to get hundreds of people to think and act like I want them to? You have to be consistent and persistent in your direction.

The first step, obviously is to know your company policies, procedures, and general rules for how to do things. I suggest spending a great deal of time learning these inside and out. As a manager you will be faced with questions many times a day, and you have to be able to give good answers to show that you are a strong leader.

Then you have to walk the walk. When you are observing projects, you want to let your associates know that you have faith in them by not doing it for them (see: micromanagement) but that you have confidence in their ability to do the job.

Give good clear direction before a project starts. Ask questions and make sure that your associates understand the importance of doing it right the first time. Make them repeat back to you the key aspects of the project, and the desired results.

In your meetings, drive home the same message. Start small and focus on the basics. You can’t overwhelm people with all of the details at once. Sit down and make a list of the things that you want to accomplish. Then highlight the three to five things that you find most important. That is what you will start with.

Most people don’t like having to repeat themselves, but at this stage it is necessary. You have to drive home what you want to accomplish until everyone knows it by heart, and begin to practice your philosophies.

Over time you can make these goals more complex. Just keep saying the same things and show your associates that you are strong in your beliefs. One of the common mistakes made by managers is to change direction too much. Remember, people are creatures of habit. They will remember what you say, and changing things too much will confuse them.

You must also show consistency in how you act. If you are going to write up Sally for her attendance, you must also write up Bob. Failure to do so will cause apprehension in the workplace. People won’t care what you have to say if they think that you play favorites.

It takes practice, time, and hard work. But if you remain consistent and patient, your associates will know what you want done and how you want it done without you even having to tell them. And who doesn’t want that? You’ll be left with more time to further your skills or work on special projects to accelerate your climb the corporate ladder!