Do you think Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde were good leaders? I know, they were the same person! But how about their leadership? Imagine getting hired by Dr. Jekyll. Things go great for a while, you get accolades, raises, etc., and you’re pretty convinced that you’re doing exactly what you were hired to do and you’re succeeding. Then one day you go to work and Dr. Jekyll isn’t there. He’s been replaced by someone who kind of looks like him, but it’s not the same person. Kinda, but not the same. You try to talk to him and you suddenly have a completely different response than you’re used to getting from the person in this office. Dr. Jekyll has become Mr. Hyde. So you adjust. Things go okay for a bit, though you really prefer to work for the other guy, but you’re still able to get along and get the job done. Then it happens again. Mr. Hyde has turned back into Dr. Jekyll. Okay, you think to yourself, “I’m glad that is over, ‘cause I really prefer this guy to the other.” You adjust. Things go okay. Then it happens again – standing before you is Mr. Hyde again. You adjust. Then Jekyll, then Hyde, then Jekyll, then Hyde, then…you get the picture.
As part of our series on Who Leaders Are, I want to make the point that great leaders, even good leaders, are CONSISTENT. They are the same person each and every time their team members and followers come in contact with them. When someone walks into the office of a great leader, they can go with confidence that the person they will be talking to is going to be the same person that they spoke with the day before. Leaders are consistent! There is a great book called Lessons From the Top, written by Neff & Citran. In the book they studied hundreds of America’s best leaders and make this statement, “The greatest success is achieved when a leader of an organization is consistent…linked to what the company stands for and how it behaves.” Wow! How true is that? Regardless of how effective a leader is in other areas, one of the things they owe to their people is to be consistent in how they interact with people, in their character, and how they approach the day-to-day operation of the organization.
Can you imagine what it would be like if an athletic team had to play each game with a different rulebook each time? Plus, they wouldn’t even know if the rules had changed until they got on the field! It would be impossible for them to be their best, and it’s the same with us as leaders. If we want our team to produce high level results, we have to be consistent in our expectations and support, moods, and especially in how we respond to each person. There should never be a time when someone is unsure of which leader they are going to get! We cannot allow ourselves the luxury of the Dr. Jekyll-Mr. Hyde syndrome. You might say, “Well, that’s just my personality…it’s the way I am…they have to deal with it, I’m the boss.” Here’s my answer – GET OVER IT AND GET OVER YOURSELF! Leadership isn’t about you – leadership is about the people you serve!
In return, you’ll have team members who are loyal, committed, joyful, and high producing.
Well, I’m to the point of ranting! Please, learn to be consistent. Your team will love you for it and you’ll love the results that come with that kind of consistency.
Lead well.
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