Congruence

In some cultures, to ‘toe the line’ is a euphemism for accepting authority, principles, or polices.

Personal Congruence develops over time as you reflect on and clarify key values and beliefs and then use those to make decisions and to set goals for how you live your life. Congruence isn’t always easy, since there can be many forces that pull you away from your own values, beliefs and goals. These include what colleagues and loved ones want you to do, pressures from society and the media, opportunities for money and fame, and lack of confidence in your own abilities. Congruence between what you believe and how you live your life leads to being perceived as trustworthy, honest, and reliable.

If any of the following behaviors are true of you or associates with whom you work, you’ll find action tips at EQDashboard.com:

• Appears insincere or easily distracted while talking to others
• Says one thing and does another
• Confuses others by words, nonverbal cues, and emotional expressions not matching
• Makes personal decisions that suggest values and preferences are unclear or unimportant

Action learning tips and learning assignments on the job are a click away at EQDashboard.com.

You might also consider (a sampling of suggestions from www.EQDashboard.com):

Cloud, Henry. Integrity: The Courage to Meet the Demands of Reality. New York: Harper Paperbacks, 2009.

Kegan, Robert, and Lisa Laskow. How the Way We Talk Can Change the Way We Work. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2001.

Rogers, Carl, and Barry Stevens. Person to Person: The Problem of Being Human. London: Souvenir Press, 1994.