Page 188 - Fearless Leadership

Honoring and Fulfilling Commitments 175

tionship to commitments—both big and small—defines your character
and decides your fate. It determines the sustainability of your committed
partnerships. Leaders eventually fail when they leave a trail of broken
promises and diminish their word to the point where they are no longer
trusted.
How do you relate to commitments? Read the following statements and
determine if any reflect your attitude about commitments:

• “I don’t trust others to deliver what they promise.” “People
around here are lousy at keeping their commitments so I don’t
expect people to do what they say.”
• “I keep others’ expectations of me low.” “Commitments
are overrated. That’s why I don’t make them. My motto: no
commitment, no expectation.”
• “I only commit so I won’t let people down.” “I like to please
people and don’t want to disappoint them. I say ‘yes’ when I
think that’s what they want to hear, and I regret it later.”
• “I do what I say I am going to do.” “I don’t mince words.
When I say I’m going to do something, I do it. If I’m not willing
to commit, I say so. People know where I stand at all times.”

The question in fearless leadership is not simply whether you make
commitments or even keep them. The question is “Will you keep your
commitments even when circumstances are tough and you are uncom-
fortable?” This is the true test of your mettle.

Credibility, Trust, and Confidence
When it comes to assessing leadership effectiveness, there are only two
legitimate measures: the business results you produce and how others
respond to your leadership. Your effectiveness as a leader is based on the
extent to which others perceive you as credible and trustworthy, which,
in turn, is what inspires confidence and generates results.
Agreements, commitments, promises, pledges, and pacts—call them
anything you want. When you say the words “I will,” you are promising
something to someone. The words commitment, promise, and agreement
are pledges to do something. Respecting your word and honoring your