The first key to leadership is self-control. – Jack Weatherford
I’ve spoken about discipline before, but just because I like you and a quick reminder never hurts, you can think of discipline as a personal automated behavior that ensures the same actions are taken concerning specific repetitive tasks. Simple examples include going to bed and waking up at certain unchangeable times, keeping up with a good diet, always making time to exercise etc.
Other examples include being polite and keeping up with how you address people: always in a courteous manner regardless if you yourself had a bad day or not.
Set goals and follow through with the behavior necessary to complete them. Take into consideration that you deal with other people who also might have issues/problems so be sensitive and nurturing with them when they deserve it, in a consistent fashion. Having a “cookbook” or a preset sequence of behaviors necessary for you to do your job, and keep to it. And the list can be extended indefinitely.
You can see a pattern emerging from the above examples. They all deal with having and showing self-control. And the easies way to spot if you have it or not by the fact that you are consistent or not.
People who have consistent behavior have consistent expectations and results. These people are dependable and that makes them likable, at least in the way that you would most certainly prefer to do business with them rather than their competitors.
And their consistent behavior imprints on those around them. And coupled with a good cookbook, team members will be inspired by their leaders and also start treading on the path of good consistent behaviors that prove self-control.