Stop Talking. Start Acting.

Are you perceived as a hypocritical leader - "Do as I say, not as I do?"

Your credibility and influence require aligning your words to your actions.

It's time for leaders to stop talking and start acting the way they want their employees to behave.

People pay close attention to what leaders do versus what they say. This is especially true when there is perceived hypocrisy in play. Employees notice what behaviors are rewarded, recognized and even acceptable. When leaders talk about what is important to them, then act differently, their team notices.

Meet Tracey

“Why do people look at their phones when I’m talking?”

This is what Tracey, one of my clients said to me after a meeting left her feeling only half-heartedly heard.

She went on to say “One person even left the room to take a call halfway through the meeting and two others quietly chatted amongst each other on the side. Why can’t I keep their attention?”

That’s when I asked, do you look at your phone during meetings? Have you ever carried on a side bar conversation or gotten up to leave a room?

She grinned and said, “yes I have!”

It is like when a parent says to their kid, “Do as I say, not as I do.” Yeah, right. Like that was going to happen.

Stop Talking. Start Acting.

When your actions speak louder than your words, your listeners start guessing which one is telling the truth. Learning to earn and keep people’s attention when you speak is key. In fact, only 17% participants we surveyed said they felt confident in their ability to engage meeting multitaskers prior to attending our training. After attending our training, over 74% felt confident they had the skills to prevent multi-taskers.

If others fail to pay attention when you speak, there’s likely a simple reason why.

First, seek the truth. It’s easy to assume how others perceive us. Rarely are we right. Ask someone you trust to share how you are seen and heard by others.

Next, create a plan. Ask a peer or mentor to hold you accountable to correct your problem behavior that you’re willing to change.

Lastly, practice until permanent. Every interaction is an opportunity to practice! Deliberately practice the behaviors you want to change until they become second nature.

People believe what you tell them AND what you show them. Apply these three steps and you can start demonstrating the consistent behaviors you want others to see and to influence action

Related Articles

STOP Death by PowerPoint

STOP Death by PowerPoint

Visualize this: It is your fifth meeting of the day. You find yourself with a weary mind and an overwhelming load of work piling up as you sit through another predictable meeting, eyes fixated on the waiting screen. Your heart sinks as the meeting host cues up the...

Master Brevity: Less is More

Master Brevity: Less is More

Brevity is the secret weapon of influential communicators. In today’s fast-paced world, where distractions are everywhere, our words must work harder than ever to capture and hold attention. Yet, too often, we sabotage our own credibility with filler words,...

Credibility Blind Spots

Credibility Blind Spots

What are your credibility blind spots? Imagine driving down the highway at 60 miles per hour, and you're quickly approaching your exit and needing to change lanes. You signal, check your side mirror, and move over out of nowhere. You hear a loud horn and quickly...