The power of commitment for your team
My Swedish friend, Sven (not his real name*) is a school teacher. On the last day of the school year, he belted out the chorus of Alice Cooper's "School's Out" in a voicemail. I was most impressed with how he belted it out. I hadn't ever heard Sven sing very well in the 14 years I have known him!
When I called Sven back, I shared how much I was impressed with his singing and we discussed it. We both agreed that with singing, there is a significant difference between a good singer who isn't really interested in how well they sing the song and an average Jo or Joe singing with full commitment to their song. There is something appealing about people who are giving their best effort to their performance. It is less dependent on ability than many people seem to think. **
There is something about listening to someone who is committed to their song. Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash
The parallels for our teams are pretty clear. Margaret Mead has been quoted^ as saying:
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.”
It's a great thing for us to keep front of mind when we consider how we can help our teams make a positive difference. Fostering an environment that allows members to be individually and collectively committed to making a positive difference is central to high performing teams. In my upcoming book and when I work with teams, I share the importance of context in creating a high performing team. When the team's context is evident and aligned for each team member, we are more likely to stay committed.
Two questions for you to consider this week:
How can you demonstrate an increased personal commitment to your team's work?
How can you help others in your team be more committed to making a positive difference? (Hint: see Question 1)
*his real name is John and he's not even Swedish
**This is almost independent of their ability with the exception of people at either end of the skill continuum. If you are tone deaf and can't hold a beat, it probably doesn't apply. Likewise, if you are a musical genius, even a half-hearted effort may be a pretty great experience.
^Apparently this wasn't her! It's widely attributed to Margaret Mead, but doesn't seem to appear in any of her published books or articles. Please get in touch if you can find it!