Credibility Depends on a Consistent Style

Consistency is one of the cornerstones of leadership credibility. We confer the highest credibility on those leaders who behave consistently and adhere to the same set of values and principles.

At the same time, exceptional leadership requires leaders to adapt to, and accommodate, situational and team member differences. People need different things from leaders.

One team member needs approval, while another needs extreme challenge. Ironically, as leaders modify their behaviors to fit the situation and the differences in others, they become decidedly inconsistent.

What gives? How can a leader exude consistency while adapting to the different needs of those they lead? The answer lies in the idea of style.

Style is best crystalized as the consistent manner in which you express yourself. What you say and how you say it most defines your style.

For the best leaders, the way they express what they do remains highly consistent, while the tactics and strategies they employ may change to fit the situation and the people involved. By engaging in actions and messages that work best for specific individuals and in particular situations, leaders are able to adapt to differences. By expressing those actions and messages in a manner highly consistent with their values, leaders maintain the stability critical to credibility.

Different situations and people require distinct approaches and strategy, but they don’t require differences in style. What we do varies. But, how we say it can remain very consistent — if we work at it.

A leader who is calm when delivering feedback, composed when angry, poised in crisis, levelheaded when advocating, and gentle when provoking discussion exudes a consistency in style. Even though the actions and tactics change, leaders have the ability to maintain a consistent style if they want to.

The best leaders work hard to develop a consistent style of expression. People respond to this predictability by viewing those leaders as more trustworthy.

The seeming contradiction between flexing to differences and remaining consistent can be explained by how leaders use varying tactics, but express themselves with a congruent style. Leaders who work diligently to perfect a style that reflects what they value in a consistent manner are more believable to those who follow them. More good news: A great style never goes out of fashion.