Are Your Actions Undermining Your Words?

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Mike Paton, Visionary at EOS Worldwide, LLC. We hope you enjoy Mike’s wisdom and perspective.

Carl Jung famously said, “You are what you do, not what you say you'll do.”

As clear and simple as that statement is, I’ve seen hundreds of otherwise successful leaders behave as though it doesn’t apply. If you want to quickly kill your company’s culture, consider making that mistake yourself. 

Here are a few ways I’ve seen others do it.

How To Undermine Your Own Words

1. Look the other way when a top performer doesn’t share your Core Values. Who cares if your best salesperson runs roughshod over anyone who gets in his way? Every other employee, that’s who.
   
   
2. Disregard a policy because you’re the owner. It doesn’t matter how small the rule – exceptions will kill you. If you want everyone else to be accountable for a dress code, or for showing up on time, or for not using cell phones in a Level 10 Meeting™, follow it yourself. Or eliminate the rule for everyone.
   
   
3. Give constructive feedback to others, but don’t take it yourself. Effective TWO-WAY communication is the key to great leadership and management. If you love telling others what to do but get defensive or argumentative when receiving it, you’ll drive some of your best people away.
   
   
4. Expect everyone else to hit their scorecard numbers and complete their Rocks and To Dos, but don’t do it yourself. This one speaks for itself, right?
   
   

Leaders Who Walk Their Talk

The leaders of a company running on EOS® work their tails off to create a clear, simple Vision and Plan (using the V/TO™). They clarify everyone's roles and responsibilities (using the Accountability Chart), and crystallize everyone’s quarterly and weekly priorities (using Rocks, To Dos, and a weekly Scorecard). Once that’s done, leaders should repeat themselves often to get the company’s vision “shared by all,” and to drive accountability for hitting numbers and completing priorities.

What’s The Risk?

No matter how well or how often these messages are repeated, however, what people SEE is more important than what they HEAR. Leaders who say one thing and do another erode the trust and confidence others place in them.

So, if you’re having trouble getting your team on-board, stop to make sure your actions are 100% consistent with the company’s Core Values, and that you’re following company standards and rules. In other words, lead by example and be willing to walk the talk.

This content was written and shared by Mike Paton. It was previously posted on EOSWorldwide.com on July 20, 2017.

Mike Paton has spent a lifetime learning from entrepreneurs. Today he
works hard to give back – as a speaker, author, certified EOS Implementer, and as the Visionary for EOS Worldwide.

Paton grew up in a family of entrepreneurs. He cut his teeth in banking, then spent more than ten years running (or helping run) four entrepreneurial companies. In 2007, while trying to take a $7 million company to the next level, he found himself stuck and more than a little frustrated. His search for answers led to Gino Wickman, and to EOS. Paton quickly became a passionate advocate of the system and leader of a vibrant and growing community of professional EOS Implementers, clients and fans. He’s now conducted more than 1,000 full-day EOS sessions with leadership teams of more than 100 entrepreneurial companies.

During his journey, Paton wrote Get A Grip: An Entrepreneurial Fable with Gino Wickman. He’s also become an award-winning speaker who’s helped thousands of entrepreneurs learn and begin implementing EOS at dynamic, value-packed keynote talks, in-depth interactive workshops and peer-group retreats. In all his efforts, Paton’s goal is simple: to help others master EOS by implementing simple, practical tools proven to help entrepreneurs get what they want from their businesses.

Paton lives in Minneapolis with his wife Kate. Together they have five boys.