Not too long ago a well known director gave an award acceptance speech that implored listeners to be on the right side of history, and to choose love over hate.

Then he stormed off and turned his back when another movie won an award he wanted his movie to win.

What to make of that?

Congruency equals credibility. We believe someone who practices what he or she preaches. We are skeptical when their choice of words is incongruent with their choice of behavior.

Sayings sometimes become cliche because they need to be used so often. Here is one: people listen to words but believe behavior.

One of the most important jobs of leadership is constantly checking for congruence. Make sure your words, tone of voice and actions are in sync. We talk about organizational alignment but it must begin with a leader’s personal alignment.

Mark Sanborn is a bestselling author and acclaimed leadership keynote speaker. For more information about his services, visit www.marksanborn.com.