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Lesson 2: Do What You Say | Steve Stoute
Posted
February 3, 2026
February 3, 2026
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4:33Now Playing“I meant what I said, and I said what I meant. An elephant’s faithful, one hundred percent!” Within this catchy rhyme from the title character of Dr. Seuss’s “Horton Hatches the Egg” is a key lesson about sticking to your promises. It’s one CEO Steve Stoute knows all too well. Especially if you’re a leader, others are always looking at how closely your actions match your words.
In this video lesson, he warns against overpromising and advises on holding others to what they say.
What It Requires From You
Doing what you say starts with discipline. If you have no intention of doing something, don’t say you will. Leaders must treat following through as a moral and professional obligation.
It’s okay to make a wholehearted attempt and fail. But lying is a poor management decision that can fracture your organization. People follow people they believe.
How to Check for It in Others
Don’t reward people who misrepresent the truth or are hyperbolic about their intentions.
Compare what someone says to:
Indicators of success (metrics)
Feedback they get in reviews
Aim to build a culture where people will tell you about non-performance.
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About Steve Stoute:
Steve Stoute is an advertising and music industry entrepreneur. Stoute serves as Founder and Chief Executive Officer of UnitedMasters and Translation. With funding from Alphabet, Andreessen Horowitz and 21st Century Fox, the companies are converging music, technology and storytelling
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