Respect and Consistency: Foundation for Success
“If you want to be successful, you need consistency; if you don’t have it, you’ve got no chance.”
- Paul Merson
There’s a reason the elite seem unshaken. It’s not just talent. It’s not just titles. It’s because they’ve earned something that can’t be bought, inherited, or faked: RESPECT. And the foundation of that respect is one thing—CONSISTENCY.
Not loud consistency. Not look-at-me consistency. But the kind you can count on. The kind that always shows up at 6:00 a.m. on a Monday when the day doesn’t start until 7:00 a.m. The person who looks exactly the same no matter whether they are in the middle of a crisis, a record-breaking quarter, or a pink slip meeting. Prepared and organized with a 'Get To' mindset. That kind of consistency builds trust, and trust is the currency of leadership.
Consistency Isn't Glamorous. It’s Rare.
The truth is, most people don’t know how to be consistent because they’ve rarely seen it modeled. They’ve seen charismatic. They’ve seen erratic brilliance. But consistency? That’s something else.
I once consulted for a company that had just fired a division VP. Not for performance—on paper, the numbers were substantial. But key employees were leaving. Teams were fractured. The culture had turned toxic. Why? Because no one knew who was going to show up each day. One morning, he’d be strategic and calm. The next, volatile and accusatory. Talented operators couldn’t get a fix; trust had eroded. Respect had left the building.
I told the CEO the truth: You don’t get to lead people if they don’t trust you. And they won’t trust you if they can’t predict you.
Leadership Is Measured in Repetition, Not Intensity
There’s a lie in leadership that says you have to make big moves, grand gestures, and deliver headline moments. That’s not what earns respect. The factory floor supervisor who treats the overnight crew with the same respect he shows the CEO? That’s leadership. The department head who holds the standard in a budget crisis without shifting blame or tone? That’s leadership.
Respect doesn’t come from volume. It comes from predictability. The best leaders aren’t the loudest ones in the room—they’re the ones whose actions echo day after day, meeting after meeting, quarter after quarter. They don’t need applause. They don’t need reminders. They show up. They follow through. They don’t flinch.
And it doesn’t matter where you sit—in the C-suite or at the end of the line—this truth holds. If people have to guess which version of you they’re going to get, they will never fully follow you.
Tom Cable, the offensive line coach with the Seahawks, when we were at our best, was this kind of leader. I never heard him raise his voice, except when he was encouraging his players. He was the same person in all settings and situations, calm, prepared, and always optimistic. And his players and the offense reflected his leadership. There was a quiet confidence. The offense just did their job; they let the defense make the headlines with their mouths, and the offense just kept stacking points—quietly, consistently, week after week.
Consistency Sets the Culture
Every culture, whether in a business, a family, or a locker room, rises or falls on what is allowed to continue. That’s why consistency isn’t just a personal virtue. It’s an organizational multiplier.
When leaders are consistent, the atmosphere becomes more stable. Meetings feel safer. Feedback becomes clearer. Decisions get sharper. People stop hedging and start producing. The drama drops. The focus rises.
I’ve seen it over and over: teams that are less talented on paper but have a leader who sets the same standard, the same tone, and the same work ethic every single day. Those teams outperform the flashy ones with erratic leadership. Because talent might get you attention. But consistency gets you results.
This Is the Fertile Ground the Elite Grow From
You want to build something that lasts? Start here. Not with charisma. Not with shortcuts. Start with consistency—in how you speak, how you treat people, how you attack problems, how you carry yourself when no one’s clapping. Let your consistency reflect how you want to be treated, not some forced idea of how you think you should act.
The elite are rarely the loudest. They’re the ones you trust with the hard conversations and the late-night calls. They’re the ones who don’t waver when the market dips, the numbers slide, or the noise gets loud. They’re the ones whose presence calms the room—not because they command it, but because they’ve earned it.
You don’t need to have all the answers. You don’t need to be the smartest or the strongest. But if you want to lead at the highest level, you better be consistent. Because people don’t follow perfection, they follow consistency.
Teachable Moments for Those Who Are Driven:
• Respect is earned through predictable behavior, not loud performance.
• Leadership is built in how you handle the small, daily repetitions.
• Every level of an organization mirrors the consistency of the top.
• In chaos, consistency becomes the anchor others hold on to.
• If they can’t trust your mood, they won’t trust your message.
