As part of my facilitation work I always spend significant time at the close of an event leading delegates on their commitments. Those who have attended events with me will recognise the mantra - nothing changes until something changes! I’m always keen for participants in my events to go away with a tangible, noticeable change which they will commit to making.
In my coaching too I do what I can to encourage and support clients in forming, validating, enlivening and following through on commitments.
But commitments are curious things, it seems easy to think and feel what they could be and even to make them, however they need to be strong enough to withstand the everyday pressures, distractions and challenges that arise after they have been made. Making a commitment is relatively easy, yet it is disappointing, even hurts as I, and you perhaps, look back at the commitments made that didn’t make it through. New Year’s resolutions are the obvious example here, so often discarded by the end of January!
The late Dr Wayne Dyer wrote often about inspiration and how it’s power wanes quickly if we do not take a significant action soon after the impulse arises. Our intelligent minds quickly return to the pressures, tensions and choices that exist in our days, in which the quiet sapling of a new commitment struggles for nourishment and withers.
Your impact, your growth, the positive change that you deeply desire is contingent on the quality of the commitments you form and successfully follow through.
Do you really mean it? On occasions it seems like the right thing to do, in the moment your commitment to a change might be the obvious step but deeper thought may be needed. The way you feel about something is more important than what you think about it.
What is the reason for the commitment? Even when the voicing of a commitment is easy, how does it link and lead to the outcome and new state. Is it meaningful enough, important enough, to warrant your prioritisation?
Reflective analysis, through these questions, is important and useful when launching a commitment to change. It surfaces the honesty and practicality of achievable commitments that you are much more likely to complete. This is your first stage when acting on Dyer’s advice and finding the inspired power to take significant action when the impulse arrives.
A validation step you could install ahead of your commitment would be to alter the commitment sentence to being with “I could… ” in – or “I will… ” and sit with them for an hour – notice how they feel or where your thinking goes then.
Having taken your commitment through this, write it down, keep it in view (particularly in the potentially hostile first few days of its life). Include the reason behind your commitment and remind yourself of that as often you do of the commitment itself.
On a wider scale, this of course plays out across groups of people and teams. The most successful model for a team culture that I have seen is evidenced in a commitment culture – one borne out of a true deep commitment to the organisation or “thing” that it represents. Breeding this kind of commitment on a group scale is one of the keys to businesses and teams that I have seen achieve sustained success.
As a leader, your ability to make and fulfil commitments will also form a key part of peoples’ conscious and subconscious perceptions of you – your reliability and authenticity can be reflected in your follow through.
With this in mind, the importance of being open to your commitments, noticing them as they arise and ultimately your follow through grows. Commitment can be brilliantly liberating. Once you commit, you fully focus on what you are endeavouring to achieve, it boosts your resilience and frees you up from distractions. Time to commit to commitments!
Good luck and, of course, keep it simple!
Simon
P. S. Simple Note 21 ‘Urgentia’ in The ‘Keep It Simple’ Book will help here in balancing your important (commitment) with everyday urgency. As will No.33 ‘Decision Glue’ from The Impact Book.