(Part II) Making Your Commitments – Well Done
Every day we makes choices on how to spend our time and energy. It is important to the people in our lives that we follow through with the commitments we make both personally and professionally. Great satisfaction comes from a job that is done well and wonderful feedback is given when a relationship is built on quality characteristics. We all have vital roles in life and you will make a huge impact on the people your life touches. The question is will your impact be positive one for the people in your life? What are some of the common the characteristics of people who keep their commitments to others:- Integrity – adherence to moral and ethical principles; soundness of moral character (Dictionary.com) Someone who does the right thing no matter what especially when they make a mistake or miss a deadline. Take responsibility for your actions.
- Honesty – whether it is someone in your personal or professional life you will quickly learn who do and those who do not tell the truth. The truth can sting and be hurtful, however, it is the best way to handle any situation. You can try to cover something up but eventually the truth will be revealed. Make sure to always speak the truth in love. Be honest today in your relationships.
- Dependable – do what you say you will do and be where you say you will be. Be punctual as much as possible. A dependable person demonstrates to others that they are valuable and their time is appreciated. When you tell a friend you are coming, it’s pretty simple…..come. Unforeseeable things can happen and if that is the case contact them as soon as possible. Be considerate of the person who is expecting to see you or receive something from you.
- Trustworthy – when someone shares with you they are opening up their hearts and minds to you. Whether it is a client you are helping complete a project or a friend going through a tough time. Listen and help. If someone shares with you in confidence it simply must remain in confidence. When you make a promise follow through. It takes work to build healthy relationships with the people in your life.
We all desire to be appreciated and know who we can trust to be honest, trustworthy, and dependable. It is important to have people in your life you can count on to come through for you both personally and professionally. Life is short and we need the positive impacts in our lives. Take time to evaluate the characteristics that shine through in your life to your family, friends, business partners, etc… Make sure you have commitments that are – well done. What are some positive characteristics you have that help you build positive relationships and keep your commitments? Do you have areas you need to improve in as well?
How Do You Like Your Commitments? Rare or Medium or Well Done
When you make a commitment do you follow through until completion? Do you do what you say you will do? It seems pretty simple, however, I am finding that it really is more difficult then people realize. There can be many reasons for not following through with a promise or commitment. Here are some common trends I have noticed:-
Forgetfulness – did not write it down or completely forgot to do it for whatever reason. Maybe it was a conversation in passing, for example, you ran into a friend that you haven’t spoken to in a long time at the grocery store and you mention that you need to get together for lunch sometime to catch up. You promised send an email that night with available times to meet for lunch. You didn’t have a place to write it down and you truly forgot. If this happens follow up as soon as you remember with apologies.
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Over Booked – promises to too many people therefore making it impossible to complete all the commitments you have made. You are in the doctors office for an appointment with your little one and they have to run tests. The doctor promises to call tomorrow with the results and the next day comes and goes with no word from the doctor. We only have 24 hours a day, until we figure out a way to increase that amount of time we have make sure to allot enough time to fulfill those commitments that must be done each day.
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Something Better – a promise was made to help someone but something more exciting comes up. What if you had a babysitter lined up to watch your kids while you were at a business event and she decided to go bowling with her friends instead that night leaving you scrambling to find someone to watch the kids. Be considerate and treat others with respect.
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Emergency – this is a valid reason for postponing a commitment, however, if everything is an emergency people will quickly realize that it is an excuse. It is important to not over use this one. Car accidents, death in the family, and other true emergencies are understandable and most people will allow you plenty of time to catch up. Make sure to let people know what is going on as soon as possible.
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Miscommunication – we all have different ways of communicating and a commitment can get muddle in translation from one party to the next. When someone says they will send the information over to you “soon” what does that mean (today, tomorrow, within the next week or within the next month, etc….) What you say can be translated into something very different for those on the receiving end. Make sure to be as specific as possible and clarify as often as necessary. If your schedule is booked this week offer to do it the following week. Be honest and make sure you understand what the expectations are before making the commitment.
Use common sense when making promises to family, friends, and business acquaintances. Whenever possible try to use definite and attainable goals. Give people a deadline or point of reference. If you do state a specific day or time make sure you follow through. When possible get it done earlier then promised and you will win even more brownie points for future projects. Treat others with the respect and honesty you would want.
Have you noticed other common reasons for not following through? What ways do you keep track of the commitments you make? How do you make sure that you have followed through on your promises?
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