Observe great leaders in action, and you will frequently hear them use simple statements that justify their beliefs with evidence, facts, and data.
They don’t do this to convince or persuade as much as to reduce the self-doubt others might have and to instill confidence in their proposed actions.
Providing an evidence-backed rationale for their beliefs and proposals offers team members a backstory to understand why they believe what they do. This builds conviction for their decisions and actions that others can easily grasp.
Brian Gottlieb, former CEO and the author of Beyond the Hammer, calls these expressions Belief-Because statements.
These evidence-based affirmations pair a core belief with a specific “because” rationale. Consider the following examples:
- “This is my preferred candidate because their skills match the role perfectly.”
- “We should pause the project because the risk assessment now shows a high probability of failure.”
- “We must enter the mid-market segment because our customer research shows unmet demand.”
- “I propose we prioritize this product because it delivers the highest margin profit.”
- “Our sales will rebound because our main competitor just raised prices.”
- “She is ready for an expanded role because of her last quarter’s results.”
According to Gottlieb, good leaders use Belief-Because statements to communicate transferable beliefs.
Far too often, leaders don’t reveal the logic behind their assertions. Good leaders don’t keep their rationales hidden. When rooted in facts, evidence, past successes, and data, people quickly borrow the evidence and the belief and make them their own.
Belief-Because statements combat self-doubt by providing logical anchors for others to grab onto and adopt. By aligning the leader’s beliefs with proven outcomes, Belief-Because statements often produce an echo of support and conviction.
People like to repeat the rationale leaders offer. This makes any proposal or assertion easier to accept.
How often do you use Belief-Because Statements? It’s not a hard habit to create. Just be intentional about grounding your everyday beliefs and proposals in reasons why.
Give people a short and simple rationale for your beliefs and convictions. They will hop on board faster that way.
