Committed to Commitments
By Esther Groves and Hylke Faber
Robert Washington M.B.A MS lives and breathes commitment to the 4 pillars that guide his life: self, faith, family and focus. The 4 pillars anchor him, no matter what distractions are thrown his way. Robert, sales leader at Microsoft, US Navy veteran, father of six, martial artist, and award winning speaker, author, and inventor explains, “Anytime I’m asked to do something and it’s not ethical, it’s not who I am as a person…it’s easy to say no…every decision that I make, the consequences and the impact of those decisions are going to affect everything around.”
Before he joined Microsoft he was offered a job in a location he knew he and his family would not like but that featured an enticingly high salary. When he considered whether the job aligned with his 4 pillars, he knew it would be easy to walk away.
Of course, he admits, he is often challenged either by others or by his own thoughts. “I am not my past or the things that have been projected on me,” he says. When challenges arise, he asks himself, “Where is this coming from? Is this true?” This exercise leads him back to what is true for him and how he can be of service to others.
To be of service, Robert wants to bring the most authentic version of himself to the table. “I want to understand the person who is in front of me,” he explains, “what are they trying to achieve?” To do that, he says, “You have to pull yourself back from what you are trying to achieve…and discover how you can align with them…and add value to their mission.”
“Once you make a commitment,” he continues, “you have to stay committed to that commitment. I never tell myself that I don’t have enough time or that I’m stressed out. When I start telling myself that, I create a victim mindset and I start operating that way.”
Robert’s wife recently “voluntold” him he was to be a flag football coach for his kids’ two teams. Right away he said ‘yes, I can do this.’ Then he asked himself, “I have six kids. How can I rearrange my schedule and make this more of a family activity?” With that shift in his mindset toward alignment with his values and away from victimhood, Robert was able to see the possibilities and hold true to his commitment while ?embracing an opportunity for his family to connect more deeply.
He enlisted his two oldest boys to help coach the two younger boys who were on the football team. Now every week the family, including his wife, their six-month-old and their older daughter show up together for what has become a twice-weekly day at the park for the whole family.
“Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak;?courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.” - Winston Churchill
4 pillars that guide Robert Washington’s life: