Better to be Consistent than Feared or Loved

In 30 seconds

Leaders who maintain predictable and consistent approaches foster trust and safety within their teams. While charismatic leadership might seem appealing, it’s the discipline of being clear, transparent, and consistent that drives team success. Psychological safety and strong communication are also crucial as people feel more comfortable expressing concerns and collaborating openly. Authenticity and a focus on team success over individual outcomes further strengthen leadership effectiveness. Consistency is the key to building strong, cohesive teams.

In 3 minutes

The world today feels unpredictable, with uncertainty permeating not only business environments but society as a whole. Leaders are under immense pressure to adapt, evolve, and make tough decisions. But in doing so, how can they inspire trust and loyalty in their teams? The answer lies not in charisma or fear, but in something more foundational – consistency.

Twenty years ago, in a discussion published by Wirtschaftswoche*, leadership experts debated Niccolò Machiavelli’s timeless assertion that it is “better to be feared than loved.” Michael Maccoby from Harvard University provided an interpretation that still resonates: the key to leadership is not so much whether one is feared or loved, but whether one is consistent in one’s approach. This sentiment echoes today: inconsistency and unpredictability are a global issue across businesses and beyond.

Why Consistency Matters

At its core, consistency in leadership provides a sense of stability. Whether the leader is warm or stern, employees need to feel safe in their workplace environment. Maccoby’s observation highlights this necessity: people need to be able to anticipate their leader’s behaviours and responses. Even if a leader is not universally liked, their consistency can reduce fear.

Unpredictability, particularly in leadership, breeds fear, stress, and disengagement. When teams cannot rely on how their leaders will act or respond, trust erodes, leading to dysfunction. Conversely, when leaders maintain a predictable and consistent approach, teams feel safe. They know the expectations, and they understand the consequences of their actions—both good and bad. In an environment where fear is minimised, performance improves.

Relational Coordination and Psychological Safety

In the same Wirtschaftswoche discussion, Jody Hoffer Gittell from Brandeis University introduced a complementary concept – relational coordination. This theory, which today overlaps with the idea of psychological safety, centres on fostering strong communication and shared goals within teams. It suggests that leaders who create environments where employees feel safe to express concerns, collaborate across silos, and engage openly without fear of retribution, cultivate the most effective and cohesive teams.

These are not environments born from charismatic leadership styles. Instead, they emerge from disciplined, methodical management combined with empathetic leadership. The consistency with which leaders uphold these standards builds trust. Leaders who ensure that processes, communication norms, and shared goals are clearly defined, help their teams feel supported.

What Works Best? The Discipline of a Consistent Approach

The leadership landscape is filled with advice, but there are key strategies that stand out in reinforcing consistency:

1. Be Clear and Transparent: Teams thrive when they know what to expect. Clearly communicate goals, responsibilities, and expectations. When everyone understands their role and how it contributes to a shared objective, performance improves.
2. Create Psychological Safety: Consistent leaders cultivate environments where people feel safe to share their ideas, challenge the status quo, and engage without fear of negative consequences. This doesn’t happen by chance; it requires leaders to deliberately create safe communication channels, support cross-functional collaboration, and ensure that feedback is both given and received openly.
3. Focus on Team Success Over Individual Outcomes: Rather than relying on individual KPIs, leaders should focus on team-based metrics and collective success. When everyone is working towards shared goals, silos break down, and teams can tackle challenges collaboratively, rather than competitively.
4. Stay True to Your Character: Leaders don’t need to transform into a version of someone they’re not. Authenticity, paired with consistency, creates a more relatable and reliable leadership style. Whether a leader is known for being tough or compassionate, as long as they are predictable and fair, they can build strong, successful teams.

The best advice for leaders is simple but profound: be consistent. Teams don’t need perfection — they need reliability, transparency, and safety. Leaders who thrive are those who provide their teams with a clear, unwavering foundation on which to build their success.

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* ?a weekly economic publication in Germany. Cited discussion is from the 20/05/04 edition, pages 88-90

Remember, everybody lives by selling something.

Author: Jens Hartmann , Head of Learning & Development at Barrett

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