I was at an event recently and ran into a former leadership student I hadn’t seen in ages.

I was really excited to cross paths and I asked them how they were doing after all this time.

They laughed, told me they were well, and said they feel like they “see me” all the time because they get these messages.

It’s a worthy reminder that the people around you are paying attention, even if you don’t realize it.

They know what you say and they know what you do. And they are constantly checking for alignment.

There will be very few occasions when they will tell you about their observations, if they ever do at all, but observations are being collected.

I don’t share this to make you paranoid, but as a friendly reminder that leaders can’t discount ANY of the choices they make about how to “show up.”

The people you lead need you to be the person you say you are.

They need your actions to prove your words.

They need you to be saturated with integrity.

They don’t need you to be perfect, but they do need you to acknowledge (and learn from) your mistakes.

(A leader who doesn’t make mistakes feels fake. And a leader who conceals mistakes can’t be trusted.)

No matter what you do, assume you’re doing it in front of everyone and act accordingly.

TRY THIS: Pick one situation where your words and actions might be out of sync and close the gap.

• Maybe you’ve been preaching “work-life balance” but regularly send late-night emails.
• Maybe you’ve told your team you value their ideas but haven’t asked for input in a while.
• Maybe you’ve said you’re open to feedback but haven’t actually invited any.

Identify the spot, acknowledge it (out loud if appropriate), and then adjust your behavior to bring your actions into alignment with your words.

It doesn’t have to be dramatic. Even a small correction shows your people that you notice, you care, and you’re committed to integrity.

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My free PDF, “The 5 Secrets of Impossibly Effective Teams,” will show you the simple leadership moves that help teams unlock their full potential and deliver outsized results—without burning out. Grab your copy now at geoffwelch.com/secrets