Your Consistency Talent: Seeking Balance and Equality

On this Theme Thursday Season 3 webcast, Jim Collison, Gallup's Director of Talent Sourcing, and Maika Leibbrandt, Senior Workplace Consultant, talk about Consistency with guest Emily Ternus.

Balance is important to you. You are keenly aware of the need to treat people the same, no matter what their station in life, so you do not want to see the scales tipped too far in any one person's favor. In your view, this leads to selfishness and individualism. It leads to a world where some people gain an unfair advantage because of their connections or their background or their greasing of the wheels. This is truly offensive to you. You see yourself as a guardian against it. In direct contrast to this world of special favors, you believe that people function best in a consistent environment where the rules are clear and are applied to everyone equally. This is an environment where people know what is expected. It is predictable and evenhanded. It is fair. Here each person has an even chance to show his or her worth.

Consistency at its core is about balance. It is about being aware of where your center is, so that you can then be aware of where it extends. It is an awareness of rules, and of equality. This strength allows you to repeat what works, to exude what works and to expect an adherence to those rules because that's how we get work done.

Consistency at its heart is about executing, and so how does this Theme show up when you're a leader? It can be a gentle nudge that keeps you aware of the rules that you agree to so that you can honor each individual within your group. There is a selflessness within Consistency that exudes compassion. It is about serving the needs of the group over the needs of the individual. It is a long term commitment to stay true to what you agreed to, so that everyone can be at their best. It is paying careful attention to making sure that the foundation is laid in an obvious clean way that is proven to work. Consistency is a representative of all people, ideas or tasks. You a creating a fair advantage by helping your team realize what your priorities are. Leading with Consistency can be a real Strategic gift. You have the ability to weigh your options and look for balance. It is compliance and accountability. Not only are you the voice of justice, but you are also the voice of opportunity when there are rules of procedures to be set.

Looking at the needs of our followers, Consistency can build trust by adhering to the same rules that they set for their team. A leader with Consistency sees themselves on the same level, and so adheres to the same rules and compliance. It can provide stability by really talking about not just the expectations, but the norms by which we want to meet those expectations. It is about being vocal and communicating the kind of behavior you expect or the norms. Consistency is compassion in the time of chaos. In chaotic times people seek comfort, and Consistency can be that comfort. It is that willingness to put yourself into that chaos to allow others to come looking for the kind of safety you create because of your consistent approach.

Hope is built in the confidence to be able to trust gut reactions. It is being a champion of the underdog. Consistency doesn't want favoritism for where you come from, the work you do or the way you play the game. It wants to say everybody has a fair advantage. It can be the champion of the underdog idea or the underdog process. Trust in this ability to level the playing field in that way and it will certainly create quite a bit of hope.

Emily Ternus' Top 5 CliftonStrengths are Arranger, Developer, Harmony, Consistency and Empathy.