[Ohio-Talk] The Pathway To Developing and Increasing One's Commitment

[Wanda]

Thank you very much for sending this out.  I will be forwarding this info. To all the organizations that I participate in.
Wan Sloan
-----Original Message-----
From: Ohio-Talk [mailto:ohio-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Kathy Pingstock via Ohio-Talk
Sent: Wednesday, November 6, 2019 10:30 AM
To: NFB of Ohio Announcement and Discussion List <ohio-talk at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Kathy Pingstock <kpingstock at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [Ohio-Talk] The Pathway To Developing and Increasing One's Commitment



Sent from my iPhone

> On Nov 5, 2019, at 9:27 PM, Suzanne Turner via Ohio-Talk <ohio-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> The Pathway To Developing and Increasing One's Commitment
> 
> 
> 
> *    What is commitment?
> 
> *    Why do you need to mobilize and sustain commitment?
> 
> *    When is a good time to build and sustain commitment?
> 
> *    How can you mobilize and sustain commitment?
> 
> 
> 
> What is commitment?
> 
> Commitment is dedication to a particular organization, cause, or belief, and
> a willingness to get involved.
> 
> People who are committed to an organization or effort truly believe that it
> is important, and they show up, follow through, and stick with it.
> 
> The more people who are committed to your organization, the greater the
> momentum you can generate to get the job done.
> 
> 
> 
> Why do you need to mobilize and sustain commitment?
> 
> 
> 
> Commitment is the backbone of a group or organization. It is what gives a
> group its strength.
> 
> Here are several reasons it is important:
> 
> *         The more committed people there are, the more effective they are
> in influencing others. If a whole group acts with determination and
> commitment, great numbers of people will really pay attention.
> 
> *         People who are committed are the ones who don't take
> discouragement seriously -- they don't give up. They set an example for
> those who don't have the confidence or experience to go through the hard
> times and hold out for the rewards of success.
> 
> *         People cooperate at a higher level when they share commitment.
> Commitment fosters camaraderie, trust, and caring -- the stuff a group needs
> to keep it going for the long run.
> 
> *         If people are committed to an effort for a period of time, they
> will learn what they need to know to be more effective. People need time to
> try things out, make mistakes, and then figure out a strategy that works.
> 
> When is a good time to build and sustain commitment?
> 
> All the time, any time. Commitment doesn't usually occur at one moment. It
> grows within people over time.
> 
> 
> 
> Commitment grows when people:
> 
> *         Work together
> 
> *         Feel successful at what they do
> 
> *         Make decisions together
> 
> *         Work through conflicts
> 
> *         Support one another's leadership
> 
> *         Have fun and play together
> 
> *         Overcome obstacles
> 
> *         Hold each other to high principles
> 
> *         Appreciate and respect one another
> 
> *         Challenge one another to take the next step
> 
> *         Build relationships
> 
> *         Experience a victory together
> 
> *         Learn from mistakes and setbacks
> 
> *         See their leaders model commitment
> 
> 
> 
> Commitment can decrease when people when the opposite is true - when they
> don't communicate well, don't build relationships and support one another,
> become embroiled in unresolved conflicts, don't live their principles, and
> don't see leaders demonstrating commitment.
> 
> 
> 
> Although commitment grows in a natural way, you, as a leader or group
> member, can foster commitment in your organization. You can build commitment
> into your organizational culture. 
> 
> 
> 
> Although it is invisible, commitment is a very real quality that you can do
> something about if you are willing to focus your attention on it.
> 
> How can you mobilize and sustain commitment?
> 
> How do you build and sustain commitment? How do you get your hands on that
> invisible quality and make it grow in your organization?
> 
> 
> 
> First, let's think about why people become involved in and committed to a
> group or organization. Start with yourself: Why are you are committed to
> your project or organization?
> 
> What is most important to you?
> 
> *         The goals of your group?
> 
> *         Your vision of what is possible?
> 
> *         The people with whom you work?
> 
> *         The length of time you've invested in this group?
> 
> *         Your role in your group or organization?
> 
> *         What you've learned in this group?
> 
> *         The satisfaction you get from doing significant work?
> 
> *         Other reasons?
> 
> 
> 
> People commit to a group or organization because they gain something
> important from their involvement. When you invite them to become involved,
> you are not only asking for their help, you are offering them an opportunity
> to:
> 
> *         Work on an issue that is important to them
> 
> *         Benefit the community
> 
> *         Meet and spend time with like-minded people
> 
> *         Expand their skills
> 
> *         Be a part of a team
> 
> *         Learn how to lead
> 
> *         Rise to a challenge
> 
> *         Meet high standards
> 
> *         Accomplish something significant
> 
> 
> 
> You can be proud when you invite people to be committed to your
> organization. You're not imposing on them; you're offering them something of
> value.
> 
> Below are some specific ideas about how to build and sustain commitment,
> many of which will also strengthen your organization as a whole.
> 
> 
> 
> Welcome people into your organization
> 
> Sometimes, all people need in order to become involved is to feel genuinely
> welcome. If they don't feel welcome, they'll soon leave. As a leader, you
> can set an example by personally welcoming whoever walks through the door or
> asks about joining your organization or initiative.  Ask them questions and
> get to know them, and make them feel valued.  That not only gives people a
> good feeling about the effort and encourages them to become involved, but it
> also provides the basis for developing a relationship that helps you
> function as a leader and acts to cement commitment in the future.
> 
> 
> 
> Example:
> 
> A new member of a community organization dropped by the director's office to
> say hello. The director took 45 minutes to find out about the member and get
> to know her. The new member felt welcome and quickly got involved in the
> program committee. She became an active, committed member, and a few years
> later she became President of the Board of Directors.
> 
> Teach everyone in your organization to welcome new people. Make it part of
> your organizational culture. You can also set up a Welcoming Committee for
> open meetings or special events, or you can set up a buddy system. People in
> your organization will understand that welcoming is a job to be taken
> seriously.
> 
> Be open and clear about the mission, principles, and goals of your
> organization
> 
> People have to know what they are committing to. They want to join an
> organization if they share similar principles and goals. Make sure that
> everyone in your organization is familiar with its mission, principles, and
> goals.
> 
> As a leader, talk openly about why you care about these principles and
> goals. For example, if you are working to develop a mentor program for teens
> in your community, talk about why that program is important to you. You
> might tell people how your life would have been different if an adult had
> not committed some time and attention to you when you were a teen.
> 
> Model commitment yourself
> 
> Everyone looks to the leader of a group or project to see if she is
> committed. If you care about the work, it will show in your attitudes and
> actions. People will watch to see how you act, and they will follow your
> lead. If they can count on you, it is more likely that you will be able to
> count on them. If you stay late to send out a mailing, others will be
> willing to do so. Commitment is contagious.
> 
> 
> 
> On the other hand, if you are working so hard that you are burnt out and
> always unhappy, people will take note of that too and they will shy away
> from following your lead.  Try to strike a balance: don't make commitment
> look like an impossible burden.
> 
> Give people work to do
> 
> If someone shows interest in becoming involved in your group, don't wait too
> long to give them something to do. People need to feel that they are making
> a significant contribution in order to feel committed. Find out what they
> are interested in doing and see if you can match their interests to some
> work that needs to be done.
> 
> 
> 
> Also, give new people a job that brings them in contact with other people in
> the organization. That will draw them into the group sooner and more easily.
> 
> Pick out the right level of challenge for people
> 
> People need to feel successful and they also need to stretch their
> abilities. Both are important. When you are first getting to know someone,
> try to match them with work in which you think they can achieve some
> success. This will help people to feel good about themselves and will
> encourage them to stay.
> 
> As you get to know them better, give them gradually increasing challenges.
> Being challenged keeps people excited about the work they are doing.
> Sometimes people will need encouragement to try things they have never
> before considered. Sit down and talk to people to find out what jobs they
> would like to try. It is a worthwhile investment of time, because they will
> know that you care about them and their development, not just about what
> they can produce for you.
> 
> 
> 
> Build an organizational culture in which staff, volunteers, and members
> appreciate and respect each other
> 
> People need to feel respected and appreciated in order to stay connected and
> committed to a group or organization. This is simple and important, but
> sometimes not easy to remember. Still, there are several steps you can take
> to build a group or organizational culture in which people treat each other
> well:
> 
> *         Model appreciation and respect: Take the time to think about the
> people with whom you are working and openly appreciate them and their work.
> Although some people may be surprised when you do it, everyone likes to be
> appreciated.  Treat everyone the same way you would have others treat you -
> with respect and good humor.  You may be the leader, but that doesn't mean
> you're more important as a human being than the person who answers the phone
> or helps with a mailing.
> 
> *         Teach people in your organization to notice what is going well,
> rather than just noticing what needs to be improved. For example, you can
> open meetings by having each person talk about what they have done well
> since the last time you met. You can also have people show appreciation to
> each other as a way to close meetings.
> 
> *         In heated discussions or conflicts, make sure people continue to
> show respect for each other. Conflicts can be important growing periods. To
> ensure they are useful rather than destructive, do not let people personally
> attack each other. Keep discussions to the issues. If people have personal
> conflicts, mediate the conflict or bring in an outside person to do so.
> 
> Listen, listen, and listen
> 
> Listening is a powerful tool. Everyone could use someone to listen to them.
> When you listen to others with respect, they sense that you have confidence
> in them and are interested in what they think. In turn, your interest and
> confidence helps them to think clearly and creatively.
> 
> If you want young people, old people, immigrants, low-income people, people
> of color, or anybody else to be committed to your organization, listen to
> them. Try asking a teenager or young person to share their thinking on a
> topic with you. How do you think we should design this community center?
> What is the key issue in this neighborhood? That teenager may be surprised,
> at first, because adults so rarely care about what they think. However, if
> you can break through their "cool," teenagers will be delighted to tell you
> what they think.
> 
> Support people's leadership
> 
> To help sustain commitment in your group or organization, think about each
> person as a potential leader and train them to lead. If people view
> themselves as a leader of a group, they will view the group as theirs. They
> will have a feeling of ownership, and will be more likely to take initiative
> to make sure things work well.
> 
> 
> 
> We traditionally think of leaders as the people who are the directors of the
> organization and make all the important decisions, but you can expand your
> definition of leadership. For example, you can view the event organizer as
> one of the key leaders, but the person who informally resolves conflicts is
> a leader, too. Even the person who gets everyone in the room laughing when
> the energy bogs down is performing an important leadership function.
> 
> Help people to recognize their leadership talents, and encourage them to try
> out more. Invite them to speak in public or chair a meeting. You don't have
> to give people leadership titles, but sometimes it helps them to take
> themselves seriously.
> 
> Even though people have different levels of leadership skills, everyone can
> contribute something of importance. Everyone has a point of view that is
> valuable. Everyone has talents to share.
> 
> 
> 
> Celebrate
> 
> Don't forget to celebrate. Any excuse will do: a victory, an organization's
> anniversary, a time to give out prizes or certificates to volunteers or
> workers, or a cultural sharing time are all good reasons for people to get
> to together, relax, and enjoy each others company.
> 
> 
> 
> A few extra tips
> 
> *         Commitment grows steadily but often slowly. Be patient. It will
> come.
> 
> *         Appreciate whatever level of commitment a person can make. People
> will vary greatly in their level of commitment and that's okay. Some people
> will have more time, more interest in the your goals and mission, and a
> greater understanding of the value of commitment than others.
> 
> *         You can always invite and encourage people to do more. If they do,
> great. If they don't, appreciate them for what they can do.
> 
> *         Don't guilt-trip people into commitment. It generally doesn't get
> the long-term results you want. People need to feel that their contribution
> matters, even if it is small. If they feel that they are a disappointment to
> the leader, they may not stick around.
> 
> *         People are often yearning for meaning in their lives. When you ask
> people to commit to an effort, cause, or organization, you are offering them
> something of high value.
> 
> And remember: Commitment takes time!
> 
> 
> 
> In Summary
> 
> In the words of John Gardner, "Commitment requires hard work in the heat of
> the day; it requires faithful exertion in behalf of chosen purposes and the
> enhancement of chosen values."
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Suzanne Hartfield-Turner, President
> 
> NFBOH-Cleveland Chapter
> 
> C: (216) 990-6199
> 
> P: (641) 715-3900
> 
> Ex: 582705
> 
> A: PO Box 141077
> 
> Cleveland, Ohio 44114
> 
> E: President.NFB.ClevelandOhio at Gmail.com
> <mailto:President.NFB.ClevelandOhio at Gmail.com> 
> 
> 
> 
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> 
> https://m.facebook.com/NationalFederationOfTheBlindOfOhioClevelandChapter/ 
> 
> 
> 
> The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the
> characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the
> expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles
> between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you want;
> blindness is not what holds you back.
> 
> 
> 
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> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/ohio-talk_nfbnet.org/kpingstock%40gmail.com Suzanne,

I just wanted to share that this was an awesome article and I really enjoyed reading it.


Kathy Pingstock
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