Taking on the practice of Honoring Commitments, we can see how powerful commitments are in supporting us at accomplishing what we’re up to. And, as we grow in our appreciation of the fact that a commitment is a choice and this element of choice is so essential to the power of commitments, we begin to let go of old habits. Instead of just always telling someone what to do, we begin to ask for commitments, and when someone asks us for a commitment, we just don’t say yes. We stop and we look and we see: Do we see how what we’re being asked to do forwards what we’re up to? Are we actually able to do it? And do we commit?

And, when we ask someone to do something, instead of pushing them to say yes or coercing them to say yes, we support them in stopping and looking to see if they understand how what we’re asking them to do connects with what we’re up to and looking to see: Can they actually accomplish what we’re asking them to accomplish? And do they actually commit?

I just love this question: “Do you want me to make a commitment, or do you want me to say what you want to hear?” When the answer to that question is, “I want you to make a commitment,” and we then engage together in collaboration to sort out what commitments our commitment would be forwarding to, what we’re up to together, and then commit to do that, and then keep that commitment–well, now we’re talking! Now things are beginning to happen. We can be more productive together as we grow our skill in taking stands and making commitments that contribute to what we’re up to. We become more and more productive, more effective in our work together. Work becomes more fun, and it’s amazing what we can accomplish.