I was sitting at my desk on a Saturday morning catching up on my compliance training, something required of all employees. Most of the modules were the standard ones that our attorneys wanted done, like harassment, how to report inappropriate behavior, ethics, etc., so that if the organization was sued, we could show records to say people had been trained, so it wasn’t our fault. We maintained records of who and who had not completed them and regularly asked the Directors, managers and supervisors to get their staff to complete what was assigned. As a leader, I needed to do them too so that it wasn’t one of those “do as I say, not as I do things”, which leaders often imply in their words and actions. With each module, I skimmed the content, quickly clicking the answers to get through it. Within a few hours, I was caught up. The compliance department and our head of compliance would be very happy, I’m sure. My opinion, it was a wasted morning, and I learned very little as I knew most of it. But I had complied with the standard.
Leaders and parents too often look for compliance, when what they really want is commitment. A high school basketball coach might notice his players aren’t strong enough, in the games they play his players are being pushed around by the other team. Too many times, if one of his players and the other team’s player both have their hands on the ball, the other team’s player always comes away with the ball. He knows they need strength training, so his message to them is he wants them to spend time in the weight room three times a week for a minimum of 1 hour. No doubt he will have some players, typically the ones who don’t play much and never understand why, show up in the weight room three days each week, work for 61 minutes and leave. In their mind they’ve complied with his request. Yet that isn’t what the coach wants, he’s looking for their commitment.
Compliance is adhering to the letter of the law. Commitment is living out the spirit of the law.
The coach wants his players to be committed to the weight room, challenging themselves regularly to work hard to become stronger. It will come by lifting heavier weights, more each week, adding more repetitions, sweating and feeling exhausted when they’re done. If they are committed, they’ll do it on their own whether he’s watching or not. If they’re committed, they want to see the best version of themselves on the basketball court.
How do you get commitment instead of compliance? I wish I had a simple answer, but with each person it’s probably a different answer. One wants to be encouraged, another challenged, peer pressure works for some and someone else might want to be logically persuaded. If you are using the wrong method, you’ll get compliance, not commitment.
In my experience the best commitment comes with ownership. What do I mean by that? It means they have a say in whatever it is and they make a choice, not you as their leader. If you want commitment to a new policy, let your staff write the policy.
When we as leaders or parents make all the decisions, then we own it and the consequences. If we give ownership to others, it becomes theirs to own and their commitment goes way up.
Please don’t think I don’t believe in compliance, I do. It has its place and is still needed. We must recognize there are some things in life you may never gain commitment to, but you must have compliance, like it or not. As an example, if you’re a parent with a teenager who wants to use the family car, they must comply with your rules of safety. It’s not negotiable or an option. You may have rules like don’t ever text while you are driving, never drink alcohol and then drive, etc. Non-compliance means no car privileges.
Compliance is necessary, but commitment means you don’t have to always be watching because they are watching for you.
Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans. Proverbs 16:3
