“I need to see consistent effort from you.”
Have you ever heard this? Have you ever said this? It’s a meaningless but persistent bit of “manager speak,” and it’s a poor substitute for actual leadership.
Because, first off: no you don’t. Even if there was some impartial definition for “consistent effort,” that’s not what you need at all. You need results. How much effort I personally put in to get them isn’t your concern.
And there is no such definition! Only a completely arbitrary accusation with equally nebulous defense. You can’t prove I’m not putting in “consistent effort” any more than I can prove I am.
Look for results, talk about results, and lead to results. When the car crosses the finish line, they care about its position in line, not how much fuel was left in the tank.
The Opportunity Machine 