Moving from Compliance to Commitment! Leading the SpringHill Way – Part 8

Any successful venture requires more than the people involved to be compliant, it demands their deep commitment. Why? Because there’s a significantly different impact these two groups of people have on an organization. For example:

Compliant people:

• Do the minimally acceptable level of work.
• Just get by.
• Always ask first – what’s in it for me?
• Resist change because change is hard.
• Stagnate and quit growing.

Compared to committed people who:

• Do what is beneficial and necessary even if it means going beyond the job’s minimal requirements.
• Go over and beyond the call of duty.
• Always ask first – what’s best for the team?
• Initiate change because change is necessary.
• Are always learning, growing and developing.

Compliant people make for minimally acceptable organizations that just get by.

Organizations full of committed people do extraordinary work that positively impacts the lives of people and the world. They’re organizations that others emulated and where the best people want to work. Because of this, these organizations create what I call mission momentum, where they’re growing exponentially in their impact as well as in their reach.

So what are the keys to creating a team of highly committed people? Assuring the following four elements are a reality:

• Clarity of mission, vision, and values (answers to the 6 key questions)
• Integrity between the articulated mission, vision and values and the organizations actual behavior
• Transparency of information, roles, responsibilities, performance, and accountability
• And when these three elements are a reality in an organization they lead to high trust. And high trust is the foundation a high commitment culture.

So, as leaders, never settle for simple compliance. Do the hard work of gaining commitment of the people you lead. The payback will be great for you and your team.