Page 196 - Fearless Leadership

Honoring and Fulfilling Commitments 183

• “I will.”
• “I promise.”
• “You can count on me.”

There is a stark contrast between the plethora of words for hedging and
the scarcity of those for committing. Language reveals a great deal about
culture and beliefs. This explains why transforming companies into high
performance organizations requires a new language: leaders must master
specific distinctions—such as the difference between a casual promise and
an authentic commitment—in order to raise behavioral standards and
clearly articulate what is expected. The language of high performance
transforms speaking into an action rather than a description of an event.
Everyone shares the same language and methodology for acting swiftly to
overcome challenges.

THREE PROMISES AND ONLY ONE AUTHENTIC
COMMITMENT
I am unwilling to use the word commitment to apply to statements that
are not commitments at all. I have identified three types of promises, and
only one authentic commitment. My intention is to restore the word
commitment to its rightful place as a fundamental driver for output and
productivity.
Before going any further, let’s discuss the cost to an organization of a
culture of no accountability and no commitment. In this type of busi-
ness culture, not everyone in the company avoids taking accountability
or committing, but there is sufficient critical mass to tip the scales.
People continually shift the blame to others. You can count on an enor-
mous amount of wasted time and inefficient action, or as one client put
it, “heat in the system.” Rework is high, and people are frustrated.
Cultures that are sloppy about managing commitments will never be
world-class organizations.
In the sidebar there are three promises and one authentic commitment.
As you read the descriptions, consider how they apply to you, your team,
and your organization. High performance organizations reach elite status
when leaders make authentic commitments and keep them. Anything less
is not acceptable.