7 Statements of Leadership (Part 6): Commitment is Unquestionable

In his book, The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, John Maxwell lists 7 statements in the chapter “The Law of Victory.”  That list will be used in this series “7 Statements of Leadership.”

John Maxwell once wrote: “The best leaders feel compelled to rise to a challenge and do everything in their power to achieve victory for their people.” One of those beliefs a leaders has: they believe that commitment is unquestionable.

“Individual commitment to a group effort – that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work.” Vince Lombardi

Commitment. For a marriage to be successful, there must be a commitment between the man and woman. For a friendship to be on solid ground, there must be a committed friendship between the two people. For a cause to be successful, there must be a commitment from those involved in that cause. It is this last example I will be discussing.

WHAT IS COMMITMENT?

So, what is commitment?  “Commitment is dedication to a particular organization, cause, or belief, and a willingness to get involved.”  People who are committed to an organization or effort truly believe that it is important, and they show up, follow through, and stick with it. The more people who are committed to your organization, the greater the momentum you can generate to get the job done.

WHY DO YOU NEED COMMITMENT?

Commitment is the backbone of a group or organization. It is what gives a group its strength.

According to an article printed by Kansas University, there are several reasons why it is important. They are:

• The more committed people there are, the more effective they are in influencing others. If a whole group acts with determination and commitment, great numbers of people will really pay attention.
• People who are committed are the ones who don’t take discouragement seriously — they don’t give up. They set an example for those who don’t have the confidence or experience to go through the hard times and hold out for the rewards of success.
• People cooperate at a higher level when they share commitment. Commitment fosters camaraderie, trust, and caring — the stuff a group needs to keep it going for the long run.
• If people are committed to an effort for a period of time, they will learn what they need to know to be more effective. People need time to try things out, make mistakes, and then figure out a strategy that works.

“Desire is the key to motivation, but it’s the determination and commitment to unrelenting pursuit of your goal – a commitment to excellence – that will enable you to attain the success you seek.” Mario Andretti

“Unless commitment is made, there are only promises and hopes… but no plans.” Peter F. Drucker Professor, Writer, Management Consultant

HOW DO YOU BUILD COMMITMENT?  

In his Leadership Wired Blog on 3/17/14, John Maxwell wrote that “commitment to a common cause develops through a series of stages. Only when the final stage has been reached does a person fully ‘buy in’ to the leader’s vision.” Those stages are: understanding, contribution, ownership, and evangelism (when people can’t stop talking about the vision and sharing it with their friends).

Here are some other ways:

WELCOME PEOPLE INTO YOUR ORGANIZATION

BE OPEN AND CLEAR ABOUT THE MISSION, PRINCIPLES, AND GOALS OF YOUR ORGANIZATION

MODEL COMMITMENT YOURSELF

GIVE PEOPLE WORK TO DO (Empower them.)

PICK OUT THE RIGHT LEVEL OF CHALLENGE FOR PEOPLE

BUILD AN ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE IN WHICH STAFF, VOLUNTEERS, AND MEMBERS APPRECIATE AND RESPECT EACH OTHER

LISTEN, LISTEN, AND LISTEN

SUPPORT PEOPLE’S LEADERSHIP

CELEBRATE THE EMPLOYEES, AND THE SUCCESSES 

“One has to devote oneself to a particular pursuit. To be successful at anything, you have to make a total commitment to it.” Donald Johanson

WHAT DO YOU THINK??

How do you build commitment? What are some reasons for commitment? I welcome your comments.