By Susan Peirce
Commitment is a powerful word, even for non-Persisters, since most of us have strong opinions and values about commitment. Yet, we often find ourselves committed to more than our share, resulting in paralysis or the appearance that we are not committed in areas we believe to be.
I have found list-building exercises to be key in the setting of priorities. It is important to clearly establish priorities and set goals in reinforcing them. Without first clearly identifying them, we cannot be successful in even completing non-priority tasks.
To provide the clarity necessary in preventing paralysis, we must ensure our priorities are meaningful and realistic.
Committing to and maintaining our priorities is possible by establishing standards. In the workplace, standards give employees a sense of responsibility and reward them for a higher level of performance. As a result, we find a higher level of employee commitment, an improvement in quality and customer service, and a decrease in WIP and cycle times.
As you identify your priorities and set goals to establish a roadmap, your high or low standards will measure your commitment and determine how successful you will be in reaching your goals.
