“What we do is more important than what we say or what we say we believe.” – Bell Hooks

I’ve heard a lot of great speeches.  Maybe you have too.  The kind of speeches with leaders saying things that sound fantastic in meetings, or at conferences, or in interviews, or wherever else.  The kinds of things that sound like they came right out of a leadership textbook.  People hear those things and say, “Wow, she/he is such a great leader.”

And then, after the speeches, real life happens.  All the wonderful sounding ideas or phrases or words to live by disappear.  Things get crazy and challenging and leaders act accordingly, and the rest of the team wonder what happened to that leader who sounded so great not that long ago.

Do you practice what you preach?  Do you say all the right things and then follow them up with the right actions?  I don’t mean you need to be perfect, but is there a clear connection between what you do and what you say?

And not just when it’s easy.  Lots of leaders “do the right thing” when things are comfortable, or everybody’s doing well, or the business is profitable.  What about when it’s not easy?  If you talk about the importance of communication, for example, do you keep communicating even when you don’t have the answers?  Or even when the answers are unpleasant?

Take a few minutes and look back at your career.  Do the things you do consistently match up with the things you say?  Do you act in a way that matches the words you use?

Whether it’s in your professional life or your personal one, we can impress people with our words for only so long.  At some point, they will measure us by our actions.  You can say everything you’re supposed to say, but eventually it doesn’t matter. 

You’ve proven with your words that you know what to do.  Back up those words with action.  Do what you know you need to do.