Commitment Building Training
Aerodynamically the bumblebee shouldn't be able to fly, but the bumblebee doesn't know that so it goes on flying anyway.
Mary Kay Ash
You're not obligated to win. You're obligated to keep trying to do the best you can every day.
Marian Wright Edelman
We want to help fathers and children develop a "sound set of beliefs" that they can commit to. You can have the highest ideals or the greatest plans but if you are not committed to them then they are worthless. Commitment is what keeps us on the path when many around us have fallen away and are tugging at us to do the same. It is commitment that keeps a father connected to his children even after his connection to their mother is gone. This father knows that just because he has divorced or left the mother that he has not divorced the children and that his commitment to his children lasts a lifetime. This is the attitude of fatherhood we want to foster in our communities.
WHAT IS COMMITMENT
The most important single factor in individual success is COMMITMENT. Commitment ignites action. To commit is to pledge yourself to a certain purpose or line of conduct. It also means practicing your beliefs consistently. There are, therefore, two fundamental conditions for commitment. The first is having a sound set of beliefs. There is an old saying that goes, "Stand for something or you'll fall for anything." The second is faithful adherence to those beliefs with your behavior. Possibly the best description of commitment is "persistence with a purpose".
HOW TO PRACTICE COMMITMENT
Effectively demonstrating commitment to others, to the organization's basic principles, and to oneself is never easy. The truth is, demonstrating commitment is hard work. Wavering commitment is usually seen as no commitment at all. The only way to achieve a reputation for commitment is through determination and persistence. Genuine commitment stands the test of time.
Day to day, commitment is demonstrated by a combination of two actions. The first action is called supporting. Genuine support develops a commitment in the minds and hearts of others. This is accomplished by focusing on what is important and leading by example. It is not uncommon for people to be either confused as to what is important, or lose sight of it over time. Supporting means concentrating on what adds value, spotlighting what's working, and rewarding others who are focusing on what is important and leading by example. A crucial aspect of true support is standing up to those who would undermine commitment, those whose words or actions show disrespect.
The second action underlying commitment is called improving. Improving stretches our commitment to an even higher level. Commitment means a willingness to look for a better way and learn from the process. It focuses on eliminating complacency, confronting what is not working, and providing incentives for improvement. The spirit of improving is rooted in challenging current expectation and ultimately taking the risk to make changes. These changes are based more on an optimism in the future than dissatisfaction in the past. It is embodied in the reply of car maker Professor Porsche, who, when asked which was his favorite model in the long line of Porsche automobiles replied: "I haven't built it yet!"
It is the combination of both supporting and improving behaviors that makes up the practice of commitment. Separately neither action is capable of sustaining commitment. Promoting alone can come across as a shallow and pollyannaish. Continuous improvement can be seen as "good is never good enough". Together they provide a needed balance. Both are essential to commitment.*