Congruent means “similar to or in agreement with something.” Congruent leaders consistently walk the talk. They embody their brand. They’re a personification of their company’s mission, vision and values.
As a result, congruent leaders are credible and trusted because they’re true to who they say they are (and want to be) — both professionally and personally. Ultimately, congruent leadership is a practice that focuses on looking within.
How To Become a Congruent Leader
We’ve all seen leaders who have unresolved personal issues that somehow become everyone else’s problem. When this happens, their psychodrama presents itself in every aspect of their business, from talent recruitment and retention to day-to-day operations, human resources, and finance. This, without question, severely impacts businesses’ bottom lines.
As leaders, we’re the ones shaping our company culture and brand. Whatever unresolved issues we have will spill out into the companies we build and be perpetuated and magnified by those around us — especially because we tend to attract similar people to us. If we’re mercurial and impossible to please, for example, we’ll attract clients who are the same — and the company suffers as a result.
The opposite is also true: The more we authentically embody who we want to be, the more our companies will be what we want them to be. In other words, the more we work on ourselves at the most basic level and resolve our mental and emotional conflicts, the more we’ll attract team members and clients who mirror the best parts of ourselves. They may be more respectful, organized, professional, grateful, consistent and reliable, for example. Then, our companies flourish as a result.
Congruent Leaders Are Dedicated To Continuous Self-Improvement
When I first started Trust Relations, I struggled with setting boundaries with both clients and employees. The issues this caused led me to create a unique points system, which we now use to measure our activities for clients in a controlled manner to ensure we set clear expectations on the level of activity clients receive based on their retainer. This system also helps staff gauge whether they’re appropriately servicing clients.
Today, I have an amazing team that sets strong boundaries. They’re as invested in my vision for building this company as I am and bring the full force of their talents, ideas and vision to the brand. This has made our agency so much better than I ever could have made it alone, and we’ve doubled in revenue and size every year as a result.
10 Core Traits of a Congruent Leader
What exactly makes a leader congruent? The short answer: when a leader embodies the company’s values — and their own. Here are the 10 key components of a congruent leader:
- Walks the Talk
Congruent leaders lead by example. They demonstrate the company’s values and mission in their words and deeds. They show the path forward in everything they do and inspire others to follow in their footsteps.
- Demonstrates Integrity in Their Decisions
They have integrity. Congruent leaders do what they say they’ll do and say what they plan to do. Like a great pool player who sinks every shot with finesse, they call each shot they plan to take and then sink the ball in the same way they said they would — or come close trying.
- Exercises Self-Awareness — and Self-corrects
Congruent leaders are self-aware and self-correct whenever possible. They know what they need to work on and don’t try to hide it. Instead, they openly work on their shortcomings — and often ask for help in the process.
- Takes Responsibility
They take responsibility for themselves — and others. Congruent leaders don’t project their unresolved issues, bad days or poor decisions onto others. They don’t let their breakup, insecurities, mistakes or unresolved issues negatively impact those around them.
- Commits To Serving Others
Congruent leaders are servants of their teams and customers. They aren’t martyrs and they don’t sacrifice the well-being or profitability of the company, but they do put others first whenever it’s in the best interest of the greater good. Self-serving actions are set aside.
- Inspires Through Action
They inspire through action by demonstrating the values they want the brand to embody through company policies, procedures and practices. This means that — in addition to walking the talk — congruent leaders put the brand values and mission into action that can be seen internally and externally.
- Self-improves Constantly
Congruent leaders are always looking for ways to support the team, enhance the company’s vision and improve workplace culture. They’re also committed to improving themselves by continuously making positive changes in themselves and their approach — even if minor. The more work leaders do on themselves, the more they’ll contribute to the continued success of their companies.
- Leads With a Clear Vision
They have a clear vision of what they’re trying to do in order to make their industry and/or communities better. Congruent leaders have a vision that’s a clear, defined view of the future and inspires enthusiasm and commitment among their teams. When leaders have a well-defined and articulated vision, their teams can more easily understand, implement and build on that vision.
- Strives To Make the World Better
Congruent leaders are actively trying to make the world a better place through the services, solutions or products their company is offering. At times, this commitment is also demonstrated through humanitarian efforts.
- Makes Hard Decisions That Serve the Greater Good
They don’t shy away from making difficult decisions when something isn’t working or they see trouble on the horizon. Congruent leaders make hard decisions without wavering, and their actions always align with their integrity. They don’t hide behind indecision or anticipated backlash.
Congruent leaders ultimately build trusted brands that do what they say before they say what they do, which means they never have to spin the truth. They’re the leaders no one forgets.
