Elizabeth Doty is on a mission to focus leaders on their most critical commitments. In Episode 39 of the podcast, this seasoned consultant, author, and frequent contributor to Strategy + Business joins me to ask:

* What if we were to take our commitments to each other so seriously that we made only the ones we knew we could keep?

* What if companies recognized that the reliability of their promises to customers and society was central to their success?

* What if teams stopped waiting around for new leaders to define direction and instead said, “Here’s a proposal for the next three months. Can you support this?”

I think you’ll get great value from this invigorating, high impact conversation. Please share with your friends!

Highlights

* 5:00 “The company made me a liar.”

* 7:20 When businesses drift from their promises

* 13:30 Why scapegoating CEOs or “rogue employees” doesn’t improve outcomes

* 16:30 Creating shared maps of different parts of the system

* 18:00 The peril of new leaders ignoring existing commitments

* 27:00 The measurable benefits of companies keeping commitments

* 33:00 A “no harm” diamond company commits to a simple rule

* 41:00 What teams can do during leadership changes instead of waiting for direction

* 46:30 Why keeping your head down is risky

* 48:00 The power of “irrational generosity” during downward spirals

* 52:30 A hopeful story about promises, money, and career trajectories

Listen to the Podcast

Tweet a Quote

There is an art in crafting commitments and being clear what we’re committing to.

–Elizabeth Doty   Tweet this quote

A recipe for stalling: change your leaders often or put your strategy into question.

–Elizabeth Doty   Tweet this quote

Explore Additional Resources

Leadership Momentum, Elizabeth Doty’s company

“Does Your Company Keep Its Promises”—Elizabeth’s post introducing her article

Elizabeth’s working paper on commitment drift

Elizabeth’s articles in Strategy + Business

The Compromise Trap: How To Thrive At Work Without Selling Your Soul by Elizabeth Doty

Liberating structures, a concept introduced by Bill Torbert

Strategy maps—articles by Robert Kaplan and David Norton in Strategic Finance and HBR