Way back in August 2009, I wrote a blog on commitments.
After about 10 days less than three years, I am thinking about the same subject… You
see, the TJ part of my personality (that swings between INTJ and ESTJ) stays
intact in spite of my conscious effort to reduce the J part of it!!!! J
I am currently working on a project where there are a group
of “volunteers” are working on creating a product that has a social impact (of course
commercial impact eventually). I have been observing all those working in this
project… This is an interesting mix of people around the globe, with various
interests, benefits out of this project ranging from no benefit to indirect
benefit to direct benefit. We use a simple technique where, each person informs
the others about their availability (hours per day and which days of the week)
at the start of the week; or at least that is how we started. Our model was
flexible enough to change your plan in the middle of the week. After all, we
work for an industry that never considers work-life balance as a basic
requirement of a human being (Yes, you guessed it right J it is IT industry), so we had
to give this flexibility. All they need to do is, inform others that they are
not available and provide the update on the progress in an email. But, did every
one follow this, did they deliver what they committed to are two big
questions!!!
Today a part of the product is ready be launched after about
three months. When I look back, conclusion I am arriving at is, if someone
thinks that they are doing a favour, they change their minds any time; but if
someone thinks that it is their responsibility, they deliver, come what may.
Another link I am observing is between the benefits and
commitment shown by the members. Commitment is proportional to the benefit…
benefit has to be perceived first to trigger commitment. What they do not
realise is commitment only can command benefit and not the other way round.
Earlier in 2009, I was thinking I thought it has something
to do with the industry they work. It does not seem to be so. My opinion may change again!!!
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