Incompetent leaders invite apathy. Skillful leaders ignite commitment.
You create the future when you inspire commitment.
Uncommitted people:
- Drain energy.
- Stand on the fringes complaining.
- Hang around for self-serving reasons.
- Save their energy for what matters to them.
- Aren’t happy.
Those who aren’t committed find fault; those who are committed find a way.
15 practical ways to inspire commitment:
- Practicing transparency. Share information. Outsiders don’t commit. Make people feel they are in the know.
- Set high standards for yourself and others. Don’t settle for mediocrity. Mundane doesn’t ignite commitment.
- Celebrate personal growth. Honor lessons learned from failure. Invite others to see your personal development.
- Explain how people matter, contribute, and belong. Appreciation fuels commitment.
- Focus on purpose. Commitment makes failure matter. Purposeful behaviors increase meaning. Meaning inspires commitment.
- Define success. What does success look like today? It’s impossible to commit when you don’t know where you’re going.
- Track progress. Milestones define short-term wins. Today’s win energizes tomorrow’s commitment.
- Lean into tough issues with optimism. Pessimism offends the committed, but don’t pretend things are OK when they aren’t.
- Energize people. Don’t take energy for granted. Know and understand team members so you can pour gas into their energy tank.
- Get things done. People don’t commit to drifters.
- Practice curiosity about people. Lack of interest weakens relationships. Ask about current activities and future aspirations.
- Enjoy the success of others.
- Be honest. Avoid spin.
- Provide development opportunities like coaching, mentoring, and training.
- Achieve results through relationships. Treat them like humans, not tools.
What are your top three ways to inspire commitment in others?
