Can I Get a Commitment?

I’ve been writing about creating a productive, functional team. I started with vulnerability based trust, then I wrote about healthy conflict - the kind of conflict where team members share their ideas and opinions even if they’re contrary to find the the best solution, innovation….

When there is trust and all ideas and opinions are out on the table - a commitment to what to do can better occur. Even if it isn’t your idea, your idea was heard and considered and perhaps incorporated into the overall decision. That’s how the best of the best if found. Building on each others’ ideas to make it even better than before. The full team may not 100% agree with the decision but they saw it evolve and understand how and why the decision was made. That’s important. It’s creating together versus being told what to do without discussion. Think about that last sentence for a moment. Adult discussion versus parent-child dynamic. If people are treated and treat each other as valued, intelligent, creative adults - they can move the world by committing to a clear plan of action. I italics clear because it matters. I’ve left meetings thinking there was a plan of action only to find out not everyone was clear specifically about what each team member was committed to doing. The adult discussion must include who is doing what and what exactly does that mean - what, by when, will you need help….. This is critical for the next step in a productive, functional team.