The number one way leaders undermine their leadership and lose the trust and respect of their team is through behavioral misalignment.
Behavioral misalignment happens when leaders say one thing but do another.
For example, if a CEO professes the company’s top core value is service, yet he is constantly looking for ways to cut corners on service to increase profitability, then his actions are not aligned with his words.
Too many leaders purport impressive company values and purpose statements but then fail to live by them. When this happens it ends up hurting their leadership rather than helping it. It would be better for them to never say anything at all than pretend to be interested in something they are not.
Likewise, many leaders say things out of habit or because they seem like the right things to communicate, yet they don’t consider the ramifications of their words if they never follow through with them. Too often they dismiss their behavioral misalignment believing their people will not notice or will cut them some slack.
The bottom line is that what leaders say matters. And it matters a lot. Every time.
The most effective leaders I know are careful and deliberate with their words. They share things they truly intend to follow through with, uphold, or believe. And when they do misspeak or must go back on their words, they quickly apologize and make the reason for their behavioral misalignment clear.
There is far too much distrust in organizations and often at the center of it all is leaders who say the right things but don’t follow through with actions.
As a leader, consider your words carefully and always strive to align your actions with them.
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