Manage Commitments, not People

Success is rarely accidental. It starts with the commitment to take action toward desired goals, not interest or empty promises. It requires conscious effort to maintain the connection between our values, goals and actions. It exists when actions meet the expectations of our words.

Personal responsibility is the basis for all of this. It’s one thing to accept responsibility yourself, but you can’t make your employees do so. But you can manage them to performance expectations and commitments. People don’t automatically know what you expect, why it is important, or what you consider outstanding performance, so you have to provide guidelines and expectations. Clear expectations establish non-negotiable conditions of employment and set the foundation for high performance. They also focus on the task aspects of performance expectations, thus removing personality from discussions when people do not meet agreed to expectations. Non-negotiables should include (1) compliance with policies and procedures, (2) interpersonal conduct and (3) minimum performance expectations. 

One of the best ways to gain commitment is to motivate people by letting them know they are contributing to the business in a meaningful way. Tell them why what you want is important; make sure they see the big picture—what the outcome will do for the company and how their part fits into it. Even when you’ve chosen the “ideal” person for the job, be available as a coach and “safety net” when efforts need to be redirected because giving employees more (or new) responsibility does not mean they will be ready to run with it. When you empower people with more responsibility, be clear about boundaries like limits of authority, as well as expected results, and time guidelines.

Prepare for your discussions by answering the following questions.

• What skills do your employees need and how will they get them?
• What do you need to do to pave the way so that each person is successful?
• What support should you provide?
• How can you tailor your approach to each individual?
• How will you establish on-going communication for encouragement and further improvement?

All that’s left now is to act on your answers to these questions.