I read a great quote the other day, "If you are persistent, you will reach your goals. If you are consistent, you will actualize them." Simple, but profound. Like the company that pursues a business expansion or some sort of improvement effort, and once they get there and have it, they ask what do we do with it now? It's like the dog who caught the garbage truck. Oftentimes, the end goal is the only thing that is considered, not how you are going to integrate end pursuits into your company's future operations.

Consistency requires having grace under pressure, because pressure can unexpectedly come from all directions, and often. The organization and its affiliates need to be able to trust that leaders keep their composure whenever difficult circumstances present themselves, because they inevitably will. It follows that consistency in an operation begins with leaders who set the pace for a culture that tenaciously holds true to the overall goals of the organization. Inconsistency breeds a lack of confidence in leadership and creates a culture of instability. From what I have witnessed, team members are not fond of what I refer to as "goals de jure." This style of leading tends to be reactively impulsive and instills confidence in no one.

It's common to see organizations who are always looking for the next big thing. You know, the home runs. Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with hitting home runs. The key is to consistently position yourself to act on situations that could become homeruns, all while hitting singles and doubles. This creates an environment of consistently making forward progress which leads to winning on all fronts. At the end of day, businesspeople and future team members gravitate toward consistency -- which is a precondition for trust, a good reputation, and essential in running a successful business.