That is one of the most critical roles leaders play.

If you are leading something, you’re given access and the floor more often than others. That means you have the opportunity—and responsibility—to speak, set the tone, and influence the direction.

But for some reason, we think we always need to say something new.

Something novel.

Something that shows how charismatic or well-spoken we are.

I know I’ve felt that.

When I’m coaching a team, there are moments where I think I need to deliver something so electric that they’ll have no choice but to go score three goals in the next ten minutes.

But that’s not reality.

And more often than not, it’s not what’s most effective.

What actually works is much simpler. Calmly repeating what has already been said. Reminding them how we play. Reinforcing what our goals are.

Coming back to the things we’ve talked about many times before.

I’ve said this before in my posts, but it’s worth the reminder… See what I just did there.

People need consistency from their leaders.

They need you to consistently show up and reinforce the message.

Why?

Because repetition shows commitment.

It signals what matters.

And the truth is, if you don’t repeat, repeat, and repeat again, people simply won’t remember.

Everyone should have a clear understanding of your purpose and goals.

Leave the mysteries to Scooby and the gang, not your goals and values.

🔎🐕👩🏼‍🦰👱🏻‍♂🚐👻

We’ve all experienced what it feels like to operate without clarity.

It’s frustrating. It’s draining. It gets you nowhere.

It’s like steering a ship with a broken rudder. Sure, you’re moving, but who knows where you’re going or how long it will take to get there.

As Patrick Lencioni puts it in The Advantage:

“The problem is that leaders confuse the mere transfer of information to an audience with the audience’s ability to understand, internalize, and embrace the message that is being communicated. The only way for people to embrace a message is to hear it over a period of time, in a variety of different situations, and preferably from different people. That’s why great leaders see themselves as Chief Reminding Officers as much as anything else.”

You know it’s working when others start carrying the message.

When your captains remind the team of the values.

When an employee shares the mission with a prospective client.

When you see the message show up in a presentation you didn’t create.

That’s when it’s no longer just communication; it’s culture.

But that only happens if you model it first.

So the next time you’re with your people, be the CRO, the Chief Reminding Officer.

Not by saying something new.

But by saying what matters, again and again.

Some questions to sit with:

What message do you need to communicate more consistently?

And how will you know your team is truly aligned with it?