When insisting becomes hypocrisy

Insisting on excellence can feel really good—mostly because it’s assumed we already embody what we’re asking for. And that’s fair… if we actually do.

But when our actions fall short of the very standards we’re demanding, our insistence quickly becomes ineffective, even hypocritical.

The most powerful way to insist on excellence is to quietly model it. It is even better when we hold ourselves to higher standards than the ones we ask of others.

If we’re all over the place, how can we ask others to plan carefully and not miss the details? If we don’t treat our team well, how can we expect them to treat our clients well? If we don’t put effort into crafting a clear brief, how can we expect execution to be intentional? If we don’t define and live out our values, how can we ask others to act in line with them?

Sure—we can ask.

But many times, they just won’t take us seriously.