Page 186 - Fearless Leadership

Chapter

7

Honoring and Fulfilling

Commitments

To predict the behavior of ordinary people in advance,
you only have to assume that they will always try to
escape a disagreeable situation
with the smallest expenditure of intelligence.

—FRIEDRICH NIETZSCHE (1844–1900)

e must start with the undeniable problem: we have destroyed the
Wmeaning of the word commitment. It used to be a significant pledge,
a vow, a duty. The word commitment meant something; it was our word
of honor. Today, we are consumed with trying to sort through real com-
mitments versus casual, throwaway promises.
We make far too many casual promises. And we speak with little or no
regard for carrying out the words we communicate. You put your integrity
in the balance every time you commit. Others judge the fabric of your
character by whether you keep your commitments and follow through on
them in a timely manner. Casual promises and broken commitments are
the quickest way to undermine your credibility.
In this chapter, we explore how committed partners honor their agree-
ments, and when necessary, responsibly revoke them in a way that sup-
ports business results and working relationships. We explore the factors that
build a commitment-based culture where people behave consistently
with their words. This includes examining the link between honoring com-

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