The Power of Congruence

Published: 16th October 2024

The Power of Congruence in Leadership

“Personal leadership is the process of keeping your vision and values before you and aligning your life to be congruent with them.” [Stephen Covey]

We’ve previously discussed leadership Clarity and Courage as part of Escentia’s 6C framework for developing focussed, adaptable, impactful and sustainable enterprise leaders and teams. The next critical ingredient is Congruence – walking our talk in all aspects of life.

Defining Leadership Congruence

Leadership congruence is defined by the alignment of words, actions, and values. It’s easy to speak about values, boundaries, and commitments, but living them consistently lies at the heart of congruence. This applies to both our personal and professional lives and is the foundation of trust, respect and influence.

Practical Steps to Enhance Leadership Congruence

Prioritise Self-Reflection to Establish Non-Negotiables and Boundaries: Self-reflection is vital for maintaining personal wellbeing and sustainability. By taking the time to identify what’s truly important and defining the boundaries and non-negotiables to support this, leaders can create a solid foundation for sustainability – ensuring they can lead effectively without compromising their wellbeing.
Communicates Clear Non-Negotiables and Boundaries: Leaders clearly communicate their core values and boundaries, ensuring everyone understands expectations. This clarity prevents misunderstandings and sets a strong foundation for mutual respect. It also fosters an environment where team members feel comfortable establishing and expressing their own boundaries.
Lives and Demonstrates Non-Negotiables and Boundaries: Consistently living by the boundaries set and non-negotiables, especially during challenging times. This consistency not only reinforces a leader’s credibility but also strengthens the trust of those they lead.
Words Always Mirror Actions: Leader’s actions consistently align with their words and values, which in turn builds trust and credibility. When these are in alignment, people know that what you say is what you’ll do, and they’re more likely to follow you. Being intentional about the commitments made and action taken reinforces a leader’s integrity.
Open to Challenge and Feedback: Open to encouraging challenge and accountability when actions don’t align with words. This shows humility and fosters trust within the team. This also demonstrates a commitment to growth and integrity, which inspires the team to do the same.
Encourages Team to Communicate Boundaries: Leaders encourage an environment where team members feel comfortable expressing their own boundaries and non-negotiables. This helps promote a mutually respectful and supportive team culture with clear expectations.
Follows Through on Commitments:Congruent leaders are dependable, ensuring that whatever they commit to is completed. This reliability also builds trust and accountability within the team.
Strategy Mirrors the Plan: Leaders ensure that the strategies they implement are aligned with the plans they shared with the team. This consistency ensures that everyone works towards the same goals and have a clarity of the path ahead. This alignment demonstrates the leader’s integrity and competence.

At Escentia, we understand the importance of leading with intention and have developed a 360 assessment tool to help you and your team measure leadership congruence and other essential leadership qualities. Learn more about the Escentia’s 6Cs Assessment.