It's one of the more curious situations you'll find in the business world.  Incredibly smart leaders, the kind who can dissect complex market trends or architect intricate deals, often treat consistency like it's beneath them. They champion innovation and bold moves, yet the straightforward power of just doing the right things reliably, day after day, sometimes gets dismissed with a wave of the hand.

This tendency to overlook consistent, reliable actions is exactly the core focus of my upcoming book The Consistency Effect, which argues that mastering these "singles and doubles" is the true path to lasting success, unlike the focus on rare "grand slams."

Why do sharp minds sometimes undervalue the superpower hiding in plain sight – the mundane magic of consistency?  Let's dig into the psychology and the workplace habits that make this fundamental skill surprisingly hard to stick with.

Denial and ego protection

Let's be honest: admitting inconsistency feels suspiciously like admitting you don't have everything perfectly under control, 24/7.  "I'm a successful businessperson," the internal monologue goes, "I got here just fine without obsessing over consistency. My track record speaks for itself."

This internal narritive protects the ego but blinds us to the opportunity cost of inconsistency. We glorify our successes and downplay any unpredictability execution. It's easier to believe "I'm fine with my consistency situation" than to confront the uncomfortable truth that it might be holding us, and our teams, back.

The brain's design – The “Shiny Thing” syndrome

Our brains are wired to seek novelty and reward immediate gratification. Consistency, by its very nature, involves repetition, routine, and often, delayed results.  It offers all the neurological thrill of watching paint dry.  It lacks the dopamine hit of a new initiative, a sudden breakthrough, or a heroic, last-minute save.

Sticking to the plan, day in and day out, can feel... well, boring.  Our brains crave the intoxicating excitement of the new, making the steady rhythm of consistency feel counterintuitive.

The "too simple" trap

In a world that often equates complexity with value, consistency can seem deceptively simple. "Just do the right thing repeatedly. Surely it can't be that straightforward." We overthink, searching for complex methodologies or silver-bullet solutions, overlooking the profound power embedded in disciplined repetition. Because it sounds like something anyone can do, we underestimate the difficulty of its implementation and dismiss its strategic importance.

Accountability aversion

True consistency requires visibility, measurement, and accountability. It means processes need to be inspected, results tracked, and deviations addressed. This level of scrutiny can feel uncomfortable, triggering a primal urge to hide under the desk. It opens us up to criticism and requires us to confront shortcomings – our own and those of our teams. It’s often easier to operate in a less structured environment where inconsistency can be explained away by circumstance rather than a lack of discipline.

The long game frustration

Consistency rarely delivers dramatic, overnight results. Its benefits accrue over time, like compound interest. Building a reputation for reliability, optimizing a process through steady refinement, or mastering a skill through deliberate practice – these are marathons, not sprints. In a culture demanding quarterly results and instant wins, the long-term commitment required by consistency can feel frustratingly slow and out of sync with immediate pressures.

Systemic reinforcement: When the culture rewards the wrong things

Our internal biases are often amplified by the corporate environments we inhabit:

The "Get stuff done hero" (GSDH)

Let's face it, many corporate cultures throw confetti for the firefighter, not the fire inspector.  The person who swoops in to fix a crisis, pulls an all-nighter to meet a forgotten deadline, or achieves a result through sheer force of will often receive accolades and rewards.

They are the GSDHs. While their efforts might be necessary at times, this pattern implicitly devalues the steady, consistent performer who prevents crises from happening in the first place through disciplined processes and planning. Consistency is quiet; heroism is loud. When the system rewards the loud, it discourages the quiet discipline needed for long-term success.

The diet and exercise analogy

Ah, health and wellness – the universal metaphor for knowing better but doing something else entirely.  We all know that eating healthy and regular exercise are crucial for well-being. The information is readily available, the benefits undisputed. Yet, how many of us struggle to maintain these habits? We start strong, motivated by a New Year's resolution or a health scare, but gradually slide back into old patterns.

The reasons mirror those in the corporate world: it requires long-term commitment, delayed gratification, accountability (to ourselves or others), and overcoming the brain's desire for immediate comfort or indulgence. We know what works, but we don't consistently do what we know.  The corporate struggle with consistency is just the diet dilemma dressed in a suit. "I'm good where I am" is the business equivalent of "I'll start Monday."

Bridging the gap: Moving from knowing to doing

So, how do we elevate consistency from something "I know I should do" to something actively pursued?   It requires more than just good intentions and a motivational poster, it requires a conscious, structured approach, acknowledging the deep-seated barriers.

Recognition: The first step

Like any ingrained pattern, the first step is acknowledging the problem. We need to move past denial and defensiveness. It takes humility to say, "Hi, I'm [Your Name], and despite my successes, I treat deadlines like vague suggestions."  You need to view inconsistency not as a personal failing but as a learned behavior or a systemic issue that can be addressed is crucial. Do you want to fix it, or just nod about fixing it?

Define the "why"

What must you believe for consistency to become a passionate pursuit? Connect it to core values or desired outcomes. Will consistency build more trust with your team? Will it lead to more predictable revenue? Will it reduce stress and firefighting?

Frame a lack of consistency as a source of "positive pain" – the discomfort that arises from knowing you're falling short of your potential or values. Neurologically, we are often more motivated to avoid pain than to gain pleasure. Make the status quo more annoying than the effort required to change.

Develop a Roadmap (Because winging It isn't working)

Saying "be more consistent" is useless without a plan. Attempts to change will likely fail, like countless forgotten corporate initiatives, without a roadmap acknowledging the psychological and systemic hurdles. This program needs structure. What specific behaviors need to become consistent? What systems need to be built or modified? How will progress be tracked?

Embrace accountability (Getting someone else to nag you)

This is where most self-directed efforts fail. Consistency is hard to maintain alone, especially when battling ingrained habits and potentially unsupportive systems. You need external accountability.  Friends, Family, Colleagues, bless their hearts, they mean well. But will they consistently call you out? Will they risk awkwardness? Do they even know how to help effectively? Probably not.

The Leadership Coach

This is arguably the most effective solution. A coach is hired specifically for this purpose. They operate outside corporate politics and career transitions. They are trained to recognize patterns of inconsistency, help you understand the underlying psychological barriers (denial, ego, etc.), and co-create systems and habits tailored to you and your organizational context. Crucially, they are paid to be consistent in holding you accountable, calling you on your "stuff," and ensuring the plan stays on track over the long haul.  They are the accountability system you can't easily ignore or rationalize away.

Consistency: Annoyingly simple, frustratingly difficult but wickedly powerful

Dismissing consistency because it feels beneath you, too slow, or too much like hard work is like dismissing gravity because it's predictable. It's a fundamental force. Ignoring it doesn't make it go away; it just means you're more likely to trip.

Elevating consistency requires staring down our own egos, redesigning parts of our environment, and often, getting help to stay on track. A leadership coach acts as that dedicated, objective, consistent guide to finally close that frustrating gap between knowing what works and actually, finally, doing it. Time to stop admiring the problem and start mastering the mundane – it’s where the real magic happens.

Want More?

Ready to unlock the transformative power of consistency? Book a free 30-minute session at www.consistency-edge.com.  We can explore where coaching can provide powerful support to your leadership journey 

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