#BeTheChange: How do we create flawless commitments?

“Trust is the lubrication that makes it possible for organizations to work. It′s hard to imagine an organization without semblance of trust operating somehow, somewhere. An organization without trust is more than an anomaly, it′s a misnomer, a dim creature of Kafka′s imagination. Trust implies accountability, predictability , reliability. It′s what sells products and keeps organizations humming. Trust is the glue that maintains organizational integrity.”

― Warren Bennis y Burt Nanus

In?today’s world,?we all need?the cooperation?of?an unimaginable number?of people, even for?the most trivial?things.

For?example, think?about?the device?from which?you are?reading this?and?the people who collaborated?so?you?can?have it?right?now in?your?hands: designers, assemblers, transporters, sellers…

All?this has to be in the right place and done in a specific way, so that it is now in your hands. That’s the case with everything we buy or consume.?If something is not where and when we expect it, we lose confidence.

Organizations are networks of commitments, and we are part of that network. The ability to know?what?we have to do,?commit,?and?execute our part?of the deal,?is a process that happens every day through the requests and?answers we give or that are given to us.

The following question and practical exercise can help you work towards that excellent performance!

Powerful question to ask yourself:

When I say yes to a request,?do I have the will, capabilities, and resources to do it? Check on yourself.

Make change happen:

Try?this!

Every time you finish a meeting or conversation, ask and clarify:

• What needs to be done?
• Who will do it?
• When does it need to be done by?
• What is the quality expected?

At the same time, the?next?time?you receive a?request,?give?it the?necessary attention?to respond????based?on:

• Do you intend to meet the conditions requested? If the answer is no, you better say it and deal with the difficult conversation now.
• Is there anything you didn’t understand that needs to be clarified? If yes, ask!
• Is there anything about the request that doesn’t quite work? Express your opinion and renegotiate times,?standards?or whatever it takes!

In these conversations, you have the power?to commit?to?what?you?can and want to?accomplish. If not, you’ll be creating a bigger problem that will require a lot more energy to solve.