Page 205 - Fearless Leadership

192 FEARLESS LEADERSHIP

In high performance organizations, words have precise meanings and
purposes. They are an efficient shorthand communication. They are tools
for working together in a new way to seize opportunities, innovate, and
act with urgency.
Commitment language is action oriented and sends an unequivocal “I
will” message. The language of commitment tells others you are giving
your word and can be counted on to keep it. Examples of commitment
language include

• “I commit.”
• “I will . . .”
• “I give you my word.”
• “You can count on me to . . .”
• “I’ll make it happen.”
• “I’ll take care of it.”
• “I’ll be accountable for . . .”

Think before You Say “Yes”
Only you are accountable for deciding when to commit and when not to.
Before committing, identify how this will impact commitments you have
already made, and determine if you have any conflicting demands on your
time and energy.
Be clear about your purpose and priorities. Commitments take energy,
and every time you commit, you are focusing your energy on a particular
area. Ask: “What is most important to our team and our organization?”
Align your commitments and actions with the business objectives you want
to achieve. Keep the big picture in front of you at all times to ensure that
your commitment is consistent with your purpose.

Guidelines for Authentic Commitments

The requirements for authentic commitments listed in the sidebar are used
by committed partners as a checklist to ensure that all criteria are met. Any
commitment that does not meet these standards is not accepted.
Companies that formally adopt and implement these requirements often
post them in meeting rooms and offices to make sure that everyone is using
consistent guidelines.