I Am a Commitment To…. with Senia Maymin
Senia Maymin, PhD
I teach Senior Leaders/C-suite how to WIN at getting their next job | Fractional Chief People Officer | Stanford PhD | Data-driven, ROI-focused, people-first leader | Board Presentations, HR Strategy, M&A
We are each constantly a work in progress. What does it take to be constantly improving? I find inspiration in the sentence starter, “I am a commitment to…” What does this mean? How does it turn things around?
To watch the entire broadcast, click here or play the embedded video below.
These words are heavily profiled in Richard Strozzi's book, The Leadership Dojo. I found this great book when I was a participants in the Strozzi Institute coaching program.
Richard Strozzi states that saying "I am a commitment to …" is more powerful than saying “I am making a commitment to …” Strozzi says this reminds us that we are the commitments we make. When I say, “I am a commitment to…” I strive to embody the commitment’s value and contribution, and I am fully accountable for its outcome. The commitment lives inside me and moves outward from my center.
When I first heard this, I thought that it was metaphysical, in other words, removed from daily life. But I don't feel that way anymore. I feel that it's really, really practical to say “I am a commitment to …”.
We Are What We Practice
I have a conversation with my kids quite often. For example, their gymnastics coach says to them, "Here's your homework." Sometimes one of my kids will say, "Oh, homework. Do we really need to do homework?" We talk about Student A and Student B. Both Student A and Student B have gymnastics class, but then Student A also does the homework. Who do you think is going to get stronger over time, Student A or Student B? Richard Strozzi makes this point in his article, You Are What You Practice.
When I first heard Strozzi’s words, I thought, "Well, okay, I'm making a commitment. Shouldn't that be enough?" Why use the words, "I am a commitment to…"?
At a fundamental level, it's necessary to come to terms with the fact that we are always practicing. In other words, the body is incapable of not practicing something. Whatever we’re doing right now is practice. Are you standing? What is your posture? Are you stretching? Are you sitting? Those are all different ways that we continue to practice. If I am what I practice, then I am what I make a commitment to do.
"A practice is a conscious choice that we make to train ourselves so that we'll behave and act in a particular way, so it becomes embodied, a part of who we are."
~ Richard Strozzi
Take a moment to think about ways that you are committing to things over time. What are you practicing in the short term and long term?
I, Senia, am a commitment to…
I'll give you my own story. I received training from the Strozzi Institute first in embodied leadership and then in coaching. I loved the training. But the first time I encountered Strozzi’s wording, I thought, "I'm an executive coach, and I run an executive coaching company. What am I a commitment to?" People often do multiple iterations before they get to their own words. After many iterations, I came up with, “I am a commitment to giving people the tools and practice for standing up for their true selves.” That sits well with me. That’s what I practice.
As a coach, I give people tools. Every one of the videos in this play list is a tool. This video is the tool of using the words, "I am a commitment to" to solidify your commitment to something.
I also give people reasons to practice. I care so much about practice. As an executive coach, I’ve seen that the more we practice something, the more we can experiment, the more we can see what really fits us.
That’s my commitment.
I am a commitment to giving people the tools and practice for standing up for their true selves.
For me, that fits. So I ask you, what is your "I'm a commitment to?"
It could be a value. You might say, “I am a commitment to truth,” or “I am a commitment to trust,” or “I am a commitment to collaboration.” It needs to be something that's relevant for you.
You can change it over time as your circumstances change or your values become more refined. But what would sit well with you today?
Happy experimenting!
Photo by Arnaud Mesureur on Unsplash
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