Three Ways to Inspire Commitment

By Cynthia Oelkers

"The difference between 'involvement' and 'commitment' is like an eggs-and-ham breakfast: the chicken was 'involved' – the pig was 'committed.’"

Anonymous

How do you inspire people to commit?

Whether you run a volunteer organization, a for-profit business, or a social group one question is critical to your success: "How can I inspire people to commit to our organization?"

Organizational Commitment:

Next to job satisfaction, organizational commitment is one of the most-studied phenomena in business today. Want to get more out of your workers or volunteers than the job requires? A team of committed, inspired people make the difference between an organization that struggles, and one that is potent and effective!

There are three types of commitment…

Affective: "It feels good." We commit to an organization because we agree with the goals, values, or cause of the group. Passion plays a key role here. If we believe in the cause of the group, we'll withstand just about any hardship to see it succeed. It's emotionally rewarding! Also, the more we perceive that the organization is supportive of us and our individual goals, the more we reciprocate by giving more of ourselves.

Continuance: "I'm invested." Sometimes we stay involved with an organization because we have already invested a great deal of time, energy, money, or talent. Leaving now would mean losing all of that investment. Research shows that the most-invested people (money, time, or effort) are the most committed to the organization's success.

Normative: "It's the right thing to do." Often we belong to a group because we believe it is the right thing to do. This type of commitment typically gets us into the door as a volunteer. Perhaps we believe that we should "give back to the community," "do our part," or honor our commitment to the team." Once we are in the door helping, we quickly realize there are affective and continuance reasons to stay.

The bottom line? Building an organization that inspires people to commit for all three reasons (emotions, investments, and obligation) will be the most successful.

Cynthia Oelkers is president of In the Moment Productions, Inc., a training and entertainment company. Cynthia is a leading expert on helping businesses reduce their communication problems and create sustainable long term growth. For more information go to www.inthemoment.com or call her at (512) 771-4320. Subscribe to the “Communication Moments” bi-monthly newsletter and learn valuable communication strategies on how to motivate, influence and persuade your co-workers, customers, and sales prospects. Published in Networking Today, November 2004.