Walk the Talk: Be Congruent

“Actions speak louder than words.” It becomes apparent very quickly when we hear people say one thing and then do another. Our word is our bond but is only as good as the actions that accompany it.

Mel Gibson appeared in a movie called “We were Soldiers.” Based on the book We Were Soldiers Once… and Young (1992) by Lieutenant General (Ret.) Hal Moore and reporter Joseph L. Galloway, it dramatizes the Battle of Ia Drang on November 14, 1965. The movie has countless moments where Lieutenant General Hal Moore inspires his soldiers in moments of hardship and adversity, but there was never once where he asked something of his men, that he wouldn’t do himself. One of these moments was when they landed in a battle zone, and he was the first one off the helicopter and the last one back on.

Walking the talk is more than just doing what you say you will do, it’s acting in a way that inspires others because of your actions.

 “People do what people see”

Living moments of inspired action, draws from every part of us, our talk, our values, our beliefs, our strengths, our actions, and our expressions. It’s living in a way that you are true to yourself and in return others will see it.

Anne Preston writes in 7 Ways to Lead Yourself with Congruence

If you have ever found yourself in a position of ‘teaching’ and not doing yourself; you may already know what I am talking about. If you have ever thought – “that’s good for that goose and not for this gander,” you might be interested in these 7 ways to be more congruent:

1. Do you walk your talk?

Almost a platitude now, the phrase walking your talk has lost some of its power.  This happens a lot with sayings, we hear it so often – it loses its anchoring effect.

2. Do you do as you believe?

Do you believe others can do better? How about you? Can you do better? The pursuit of “‘betterism” is key in the leadership skill of being congruent.

3. Do you live your values?

If you feel something is important and do not act as if it is important – on some level, you are settling for less.  If you are settling instead of risking living your values fully. Somewhere someone else is leading YOU instead of you leading yourself.

4. Do you follow your passions?

A passion is something that makes you come alive. It’s something you love doing when you are doing it. If there is something, you would like to spend your time doing – and you are not dedicating part of your day or week to doing it – What does that say?

5. Do you fully express yourself?

If you have found yourself holding back your voice of self-expression, you know that uncomfortable feeling that comes along with that. It feels awful. You want to say what you want to say – yet there are risks. Someone might not like what you say.

6. Are you consistent?

Congruence has an energy trail. If you are repeatedly congruent – others will begin to trust you more. It’s a cornerstone of being trustworthy. If you are inconsistent, people will begin to see you as in-congruent with your behaviour as a pattern.

7. Do you tell the truth?

Along with being consistent, telling the truth is a cornerstone of congruence. Telling the truth means telling YOUR truth. The truth of how you feel, how you think, how you act.

Full article: https://mindbodyspiritcoaching.com/personal-leadership/7-ways-to-lead-yourself-with-congruence

 My 5 Learnings:

·       Walking the talk is more than words

·       Living my truth is an important part of living in a congruent way

·       I need to ensure that I follow through with what I say

·       I need to be more consistent on a regular basis

·       My actions should always speak louder than my words

As you reflect about being congruent, be sure to turn the spotlight on yourself so you know that you are aligning every aspect of your life and are not on unintentional autopilot. https://www.effectiveinfluence.com/blog/auto/pilot

My 3 Questions for you:

·       How are you inspiring people with your actions?

·       Where do you need to be more consistent?

·       What are your strengths and values?

“When you walk your talk, people listen” - Author: Unknown

If you need help in being congruent, or if you have questions, please talk to me. I would be happy to help and chat with you.

Remember daily to, “Find value in your influence”

Written By: Paul Fawcett.