Who Does This Remind You Of?

 

If I were to ask you who is the most reliable person you work with, what face and name comes to mind?

We all have that person. Hopefully!

If you’re lucky, they make up your team, your “work family” as I prefer to call it, and continually fill you with gratitude as one of the most underrated, and essential secret traits of success: consistency and reliability!

The truth is simple: You Don’t Need to Be Impressive…You Need to Be Reliable.

Reliability—not necessarily talent, brilliance or flash—is what actually builds trust, opportunity, and long-term success.

When I think of reliability my mind goes to:

• the finance director who sends a report every night (just before midnight) to share the data from the day with the company founder and I, and has never missed doing so in 2.5 years (even on his honeymoon!);
• the person who thinks he’s “just an IT guy” but in reality is the one everyone turns to to get things done immediately, even outside of the IT realm, because he is so capable;
• the assistant who goes over the upcoming plans and events, and then checks off the boxes again to make sure nothing falls through the cracks, so I don’t have to think about anything for the gig.

 

As you are well aware, our world rewards visibility, and it’s easy to believe that being impressive is the goal.

Stand out. Be exceptional. Do something people haven’t seen before.

There’s nothing wrong with that.

Heck, I’ve built a career off of telling people to Discover your Signature Moves – Stand Out in a Sit Down World!

Talent matters. Creativity matters. Excellence matters.

But over time, I’ve noticed something that matters even more: Reliability is where its at.

They are often the person behind the scenes who never gets the spotlight, keeping someone like me (with a real difficulty at being consistent and reliable in office ways) in front of an audience in all of my inabilities, they are the reason I can make it all happen.

Because they show up every day, with consistency, purpose, and the promise to do so!

The people who are trusted most—at work, at home, even on stage—are not always the most impressive in a single moment.

They’re the ones you can count on over and over again.

They show up when they say they will.

They follow through on what they commit to.

They bring a level of consistency that removes uncertainty for everyone around them.

And that last part is what makes them invaluable.

Because when people don’t have to wonder about you, they can focus on everything else that matters.

This is The Promise in action.

 

 

Have you had to consistently check on the work of someone on your team to make sure they’re doing it?

Quite annoying, and this issue needs to be addressed as such.

What I have found in leadership is if there aren’t systems in place for reporting, accountability, and levels of achievement to hit, it is very rare that someone just does their job on time, reliably and consistently without anyone checking in on them.

It is human nature to forget, slack off, and not even intentionally. It is not from a place of dishonesty, its from a place of our brains figuring out how to take the path of least resistance.

 

When a brand shows up consistently, we return to it over and over again.

When a team member is reliable, we give them more opportunity, more money, and do all we can to keep them happy.

When a family member shows consistency in something good, we reward the behavior with acknowledgement and honor.

Reliability builds trust in a way that talent alone never can.

A single impressive moment might get someone’s attention. But consistent reliability earns their confidence—and the invitation to come back.

In the last few years, I have been surrounded by some of the smartest, talented, and impressive people you could ever encounter.

Charisma drips from them when you meet. They promise the world regarding what working with them will deliver. They sell you on the dream.

The terrifying truth: the more impressive these people appear up front, the worse they are to work with and are absolutely unreliable.

It seems to be a trend, and they have gotten away with it because the world rewards their charisma, performance, and the show…whereas I would rather have someone way less impressive in first meeting and be blown away on the back end by their grit, tenacity, and showing up when it matters, without my holding their hand.

Reliability shows up in small ways more than big ones:

• Returning a call when you said you would.
• Being prepared when others are depending on you.
• Delivering work at the standard you’ve established, not just when it’s convenient.

 

These things aren’t flashy.

They don’t always get recognized immediately.

They actually barely seem to matter when you are looking for the flashy new hire.

But they compound.

And over time, they define your reputation far more than any standout moment ever could.

Want to see what reliability looks like? It’s the person who consistently does 80-100 calls per day, rain or shine. They just do it. It is probably uncomfortable, may even be below their skillset, and yet needs to happen to continue to move the needle and inspire the rest who are staying busy doing public facing things that are hardly needed.

 

Give me Mr. Reliability behind the scenes who shows up every day over anyone who impresses me with one day of 250 calls and never logs on again.

 

It’s the same as going to the gym. You can have the best work out of your life and not go back for a week…but the one who shows up day in and day out will see the results.

If you want to grow your influence—professionally or personally—it’s worth asking a simple question: Where am I trying to be impressive… instead of simply being reliable?

Because the people who are the easiest to trust, manage and lead, are almost always the easiest to work with.

And those are the people who are invited back again and again.

How reliable are you at keeping The Promise every day among those you work with? And how would they envision you when asked this question?

(Side Note: If you don’t pass this test, it’s easy to make a NEW Promise and just start showing up consistently. Your whole life will change for the better. I Promise!)