4 Keys: 4th Key—Do What You Say You Will Do

     The 4th key of our 4 critical keys to success is simple common sense—do what you say you will do. Lets discuss what happens if this principle is not followed, how to apply this principle, and the impact of following through on this concept.
     Not following this principle is the fastest way to lose credibility with your team. As a leader your team looks up to you to set the example for the rest of your department or organization. You are responsible for setting the tone. As a result, when you fail to do what you say you will do your team loses faith that action or change is real and possible. They find themselves working on an island without any support. Communication will decline since your team will not see the value of involving you in their obstacles because you have made it very clear—you are not interested in their problems. Your team has no choice but to feel that you don’t care because if you did, you would do everything in your power to change their circumstances.
     Do not promise things that you can’t deliver. This is important because I often see leaders over promise in hopes that when they are over promising their team will respect them. Unfortunately, no team member has ever found respect for their leader for his words. I cannot stress this enough—words are empty. Action is where respect is achieved. It is wise to under promise (words) and achieve results that surpass your team’s expectations (action). In his book Today Matters John Maxwell highlights a quote from Arthur Gordon who wrote in his book A Touch of Wonder, “Nothing is easier than saying words. Nothing is harder than living them, day after day.”
     To ensure that that you follow through on what you commit to, it is important to be well organized. You have to find a system that tracks your commitments so that your promises are not lost. By utilizing a tracking system for your commitments you can communicate back to your team on the status of your commitments. In reality, you will never be able to meet all of your deadlines or be able to achieve all that you hoped you could. But your team needs to be in the loop at all times—this lets them know that you have not forgotten about them. It’s okay to let your team know that you need more time or you didn’t get the results you hoped for. The fact that you’re communicating this to them lets them know you value them and that you’re still working towards your commitment. Doing what you say does not necessarily equal accomplishing every single thing you set out to accomplish. But it does mean you involve your team in your progress and clearly communicate to them what you did and what the results were. The ability to follow through with your team always starts with your level of organization and your commitment to your team.
     Following through with your team builds camaraderie, commitment, and loyalty. It creates an environment that you care about your teams obstacles and ultimately about them. It ensures that you and your team are engaged in the overall objective of your department or organization. The impact on your overall department’s or organization’s productivity will be substantial. And of course we know when commitment and productivity increase, costs usually decrease, which equals increased profits.
     If you desire to be a successful leader and you commit to the four critical keys to leadership that we have been discussing—I guarantee you that you will succeed. First, acknowledge each of your employees no matter what. Second, listen and truly engage with them. Third, hold your team accountable. And fourth, do what you say you will do.