Consistency is difficult. I learned that when I was teaching. How odd that something so very crucial is so difficult to achieve.
When my children were still at home, from infant to college years, consistency, on my part, was highly challenging. I knew it was necessary, but maintaining consistency was like keeping a finger in a Dutch dike. Next to impossible. Part of the difficulty in maintaining consistency, at least with children, is that children can smell parental waffling a mile away.......and, children have a built-in ability to capitalize on parental waffling.
In the classroom, consistency is paramount. If I thought that children in the home can smell inconsistency, children in the classroom have pre-programmed abilities to recognize and take advantage of teacher inconsistency. Want classroom disarray? Be inconsistent.
In the business and other-professional world, consistency is a must, especially when dealing with employees and employee-related issues. Want a revolt? Be inconsistent. Want to encourage mediocrity? Be inconsistent in your messages - both verbal and non-verbal. Reward the mediocre employee and see what transpires with the top-producers. They'll know, instantly, that they can cut back and skate, as the "old" term goes. Want to really discourage your employees? Let the management espouse one line and behave in acompletely opposite manner. Your employees will zero in on your contradictory "message" and will begin to behave in ways that mirror your own.
Yes, top-down inconsistency doesn't work. Too bad more businesses and organizations and their leaders do not recognize this fact of life. Talk the talk, then walk the walk.
Ancora imparo
