My friend Ramona has always been interested in protecting endangered species, so much so that she traveled to Tanzania to meet the elephants there. She was enthralled by these incredible beings. But her feelings changed when she learned that in Tanzania up to 100 elephants a day are massacred for their tusks that get turned into billiards balls, piano keys, and other items for human enjoyment. She transformed from elephant enthusiast to elephant protector and formed Operation Diana, a nonprofit 501c3 to support the projects and people that protect elephants in their wild habitat. Her lifelong interest shifted into a powerful personal commitment to defend the elephants with all her might.
In my experience, changing the design of your future starts with a commitment. Ramona’s commitment was a wholehearted yes that changed the design of her life and the allocation of her resources.
A commitment is different from goals, which are statements of what you aim to achieve in 3-5 years. A commitment arises from what matters most and is a promise or pledge; it is no longer an obligation, a possibility, or even a preference.
Working without clear commitments is common and part of what leads to the rising rates of burnout, disinterest, and feelings of overwhelm. Scattered and buffeted by competing priorities, we lose track of what really matters. Running hard day after day to catch up, we tout being busy as if it’s a badge of honor, forgetting that what counts is not how busy we are but rather the difference we make.
Making a difference starts with anchoring ourselves in what has heart and meaning and shaping that into a personal commitment.
In Oprah’s recent 2020 Vision: Your Life in Focus event, Lady Gaga shared a personal commitment that came out of her own life of struggle: “ I commit to bring the greatest minds I can find in the world together to one-by-one solve the mental health illness that is plaguing our world…” Lady Gaga personal commitment.
This commitment will make a difference. Oprah invites commitments from each attendee in this sold-out wellness tour taking place in nine different cities over the course of three months. Celebrities such as Michelle Obama, Jennifer Lopez, and Tina Fey and all 15,000 attendees at each event receive a workbook where they set individual goals and focus their personal commitment.
When clear on our commitments, we stand in a personal integrity. We fully engage.
One of the executives I coach used the steps below to focus her commitment. She reported back that as she worked from commitments, her posture changed. Instead of curving her shoulders inward defensively, she stood upright and looked ahead. Her thought process changed from “What’s going to come at me next? Can I handle it?” to “I’ve got this. What’s my next step to fulfill my commitment?” Now, proactive rather than reactive, she spends more time in action and less time processing, worrying, or questioning. She is less caught up in her internal dialogue as she prioritizes restoring and building trust with the people she leads.
With commitment at the center of her days, the effectiveness of her work improved. She took more risks and resolved old conflicts. Her courageous leadership became contagious. Her team stepped up, energized and engaged. They collaborated more and solved issues faster. Gossip and drama dropped off and instead all that energy redirected to innovation and excellence.
Will you repeat the past or create a new future this year? Use this exercise to discover what commitments will motivate you and orient the actions you take.
3-Step Commitment Exercise
1. SCAN – Core commitment(s) for 2020 might include current commitments as well as new possibilities.
A. List 3 commitments you might take on for 2020. (These can be small or large: Save the elephants from poaching. Build a strong and scalable organization for future success and growth. Deliver exceptional client experience that generates new and repeat business.)
1. ____________________________________________________
2. ____________________________________________________
3. ____________________________________________________
B. Circle one to work on today as a core commitment for this first quarter.
2. FOCUS - Craft a simple resonant phrase that captures your core commitment for the coming year. (i.e., I will help to protect endangered elephants in Tanzania through awareness, advocacy and action.) Look for:
The clear yes. Personal, significant results.
What motivates you, ignites your excitement, even passion.
A bit of discomfort – beyond your old agreements or outmoded vision of yourself.
1. ____________________________________________________
3. ACT – What are the conditions for staying conscious of, and acting from, your core commitment?
A. Assess: What are (at least) two good things that will happen for you and others when you fulfill this commitment?
1. ____________________________________________________
2. ____________________________________________________
B. Design: How will you strengthen your ability to stay in action on your commitment? Strategies that worked for others include:
A weekly review – When did I act in line with my core commitment? When did I get derailed?
Sequence - Laying out the first ten steps to take.
Make it public - Share progress regularly with key stakeholders.
1. ____________________________________________________
My experience is that leading and working without clear commitments is not sustainable. It won’t work for you, your team or your organization in the long term. I speak more about how to cultivate commitment with wise leadership in a recent interview with Dr. Paul Ward, author of the Conscious Leadership book.
Wise leaders consciously engage employees around powerful commitments. Placing the commitment at the center redesigns how they work together. Instead of racing from task to task they block out time to think strategically about an upcoming initiative. They invite divergent ideas and advocate for change. Real creativity becomes possible.
As a leader, when you consciously choose to focus and reinforce commitments, you offer an antidote to fear and burn out and inspire confidence. More energy, clarity, and even happiness arise because you and your team do what you do from a wholehearted yes.
More Resources
Scan, Focus, Act is a model that was first formulated by my colleagues Jim Channon, Frank Burns and Linda Nelson and is copyrighted by Metasystems Design Group, 1983. (Metasystems Design Group is now part of Caucus Systems.) MG Taylor Corporation subsequently expanded upon and implemented the model in its processes.