Building and Sustaining Commitment What is commitment Commitment

Building and Sustaining Commitment

What is commitment? • Commitment is dedication to a particular organization, cause, or belief, and a willingness to get involved. • People who are committed to an organization or effort truly believe that it is important, and they show up, follow through, and stick with it. • Some examples of how people show commitment – Get to the program early – Make sure people understand what is at stake – Take a public stance – Stay late

Why is commitment important? • The more committed people are, the more influential they will be • Committed people don't give up • People will cooperate more when committed • Committed people will be more effective

When is a good time to build and sustain commitment? It is always a good time to build commitment! It doesn't occur at just one moment, it grows within people over time.

Sustaining commitment • Welcome people into your organization • Be clear about the mission • Model commitment • Give people work to do • Build organizational culture of appreciation and respect • Be patient and appreciate people's commitment • Encourage people to do more • Listen, listen • Support people’s leadership • Celebrate successes

Tips for building commitment • Commitment grows steadily but often slowly. Be patient. • Appreciate whatever level of commitment a person can make. • You can always encourage people to do more. If they do, great. If they don't, appreciate them for what they can do. • People are often yearning for meaning in their lives. When you ask people to commit to an effort, cause, or organization, you are offering them something of high value. • Commitment takes time