Visible Commitment

I’m a fan of clear goals, aspirations and standards. We sometimes fall short but we all have potential and the great majority of us choose to try to perform. Having clarity on our goals, aspirations and standards isn’t always easy. At times we all need help to get that clarity.

I’m also a fan of finding those supporters who will aide our performance and help us find our potential. Sometimes we need cheerleaders. Sometimes we need expert friends. Sometimes we just need to be held to account or challenged. Asking for help, challenge or even a different kind of conversation isn’t always easy. At times we all need help to find that support.

Given the coaching and development work that I do, the above shouldn’t really be that surprising.

What I find surprising is that organisations can be terribly bad at helping people and teams to build clarity of goals, aspirations and standards.

What I find surprising is that organisations can be terribly bad at facilitating the support and conversations people need to perform and to access potential.

Hierarchy, money and time can be apparent or perceived barriers but that’s not really what is getting in the way. The real barrier and most important investment is visible, demonstrable commitment…

…Visible commitment to creating real clarity.

…Visible commitment to facilitating meaningful support.

…Visible commitment to creating generative dialogue.

Organisations are perfectly designed for the results that they get.  What will you commit to designing into your organisation?

Or to almost quote Donald Taylor… Actions speak louder than words. Could you expand more on that?

Post script (19:20 17/12/2014)

This blog post was originally posted with the snappy title of “What will you commit to designing into your organisation?“… I wrote and published it whilst on a train and it wasn’t the best title for this post really was it. A Twitter conversation ensued with some helpful friends and this slightly tweaked version is better for it. Failing Out Loud (FOL) or Working Out Loud (WOL)? Maybe but either way my thanks to Donald in particular.