In the last few weeks, the world has witnessed how vital it is for a leader to be able to speak.

When what matters has to be expressed and isn’t, it’s an abject failure of leadership.

That’s because leadership emerges through our words. And then is made credible through our actions – which also have to be expressed through our words.

If you can’t give voice to those words, then the only semblance of leadership you may have is your title. And if you understand what leadership really is, you’ll know that it’s not conferred in a title, no matter how big.

Words matter. So use them wisely. They’re not “just words”.

They have the power to unify others in thought and action to ignite what matters to your leadership.

If they trust you.

Trust is invaluable. It’s not just given. You have to earn it.

You do that by stating what you’re going to do and then doing it. Your words and actions have to be aligned.

Whenever you say you’re going to act, you are making a commitment, whether big or small. They’ll hear it. And then they’ll wait, perhaps in varying states of awareness, to see whether or not you fulfil that commitment.

If they see that you do, then they know they can trust what you say. Because there’s no gap between your saying and doing.

If they can’t see that you do what you say you’ll do, then there is a gap that undermines their ability to trust you.

What if you did it but they weren’t present to see it?

Then fill the gap by confirming that in fact you did do it. Don’t assume they know.

I’ve heard a lot of executives complain that no one seems to know that they’ve done what they said they’d do. The reality is that most never get close enough to you to see it first hand. So tell them. Don’t hold back for fear of bragging or self-lauding. When they learn you’ve done it, you inspire them to fulfil their own commitments. And you earn their trust.

It’s an entirely different matter though if you don’t do what you said you would.

If you have a legitimate reason, say it. It’s not about making excuses; it’s to ensure you all share a common background of understanding of why not.

If you don’t have a legitimate reason, however, then it’s nothing less than a failure to act.

That comes at a high cost. It means a loss of integrity, credibility and believability, all of which inhibit your leadership. They will not respond willingly when they can no longer trust you.

So don’t engage in self-sabotage.

Your actions make your leadership credible. Make and fulfil your commitments impeccably. You’ll set a high bar and model it for them.

Know that it’s not just about the big actions you take. The small ones matter too.

Here are a few examples:

• I’ll do it today/this week/next week…When you make a time commitment, meet it. And if you can’t –  for whatever reason – don’t just hope they won’t notice. Loop back to them to renegotiate the timelines. And meet the new one.
• I’ll get back to you.    When you tell someone that you’ll get back to them, and ideally by when, be sure that you do. If for some reason you can’t, let them know if it will take more time or isn’t doable.
• Let’s get together.     When you say you want to get together, perhaps for a meeting or even a coffee, act on it. Otherwise, the next time you see them and say so again, your words will be meaningless because the receiver already perceives you have no real intent to do it.

This doesn’t mean responding to every unsolicited request for you to act. I’m sure your inbox is full of them.

It does mean making and fulfilling the commitments that matter so that others can rely on your words and actions. Without fail.

So here’s my counsel:

Do a quick scan of any gaps or open loops you have right now. And close them.

Trust in you and your leadership depends upon it.