PKF Texas: The Entrepreneur’s Playbook® - Integrity in Commitments

Fix those broken commitments within your company.

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Greg Price
Episode: 240
January 09, 2010

Summary:

Are you having trouble with commitments in your company? Greg Price offers a test for sincerity—and solutions for broken commitments.

Full Interview text

Greg: This is Greg Price with PKF Texas' Entrepreneur's Playbook.

One of the items I find at the heart of many communication breakdowns includes conversation around commitments and the ability to honor, or not meet these obligations. If your organization is having trouble with commitments, try this exercise.

Before giving a commitment to someone do this quick self assessment before offering a response. How do I assess the integrity of my commitment? I recommend a quick review of your sincerity.

With sincerity you should:

Only make promises you intend to keep
Believe you understand the commitment
Believe you have the resources and skills to keep it
Will apply your energy to the task at hand
Do substantial planning to mitigate risk

You should honor your promises unconditionally. When you see the commitment is at risk you should:

Alert the creditor immediately
Apologize and offer an explanation
Inquire about potential damages
Negotiate strategies to minimize damages
Recommit

Remember honoring your commitments doesn't necessarily mean fulfilling them. Commitments are always first broken ethically (integrity) before being broken effectively. The breaking point occurs when the committed person realizes the promise is at risk and decides to keep quiet about it.

In his book Conscious Business, Fred Kofman writes, "You behavior always express your values in action. Your integrity hinges on whether your values in action agree with your essential values. When they do you feel pride. When they don't you feel quilt."

To read and comment on the PKF Texas' Entrepreneur's Playbook, visit my blog, fromgregshead.com. PKF Texas the fit, that's right!