{"id":27493,"date":"2017-10-04T04:45:13","date_gmt":"2017-10-04T09:45:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/michaelhyatt.com\/?p=27493"},"modified":"2017-10-04T04:45:13","modified_gmt":"2017-10-04T09:45:13","slug":"commitments-and-influence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fullfocus.co\/commitments-and-influence\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Keeping Commitments is Critical to Your Influence"},"content":{"rendered":"

When we think of someone with integrity, we think of someone we can count on to come through on what they promise. Unfortunately, that\u2019s not always a safe bet today.<\/p>\n\n

Over the last several years I\u2019ve noticed a change in the way we use the word integrity<\/em>. Having integrity requires staying true to your word\u2014even if it\u2019s difficult, inconvenient, or expensive. But today I hear more and more people using the word as if it means being true to themselves\u2014even if that means leaving someone else to clean up the mess.<\/p>\n

This might look like a win if we\u2019re trying to save ourselves from difficulty and discomfort, but it will come back to bite us in the end. Nothing destroys our credibility faster than bailing on a commitment.<\/p>\n\n

More to the Story<\/h3>\n

The phrase \u201cTo thine own self be true\u201d comes from Shakespeare\u2019s Hamlet<\/em>, but it became popular through self-help books and programs. There\u2019s nothing wrong with these words by themselves, but they\u2019re usually taken out of context.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019ve ever read<\/a> or seen the play, you know the full story. The phrase comes after advice about being prudent and preserving friendships. The idea is that we are true to ourselves so that<\/em> others can count on what we say. It was about having true integrity.<\/p>\n

But if you listen to the way people use it today, they usually mean something else. \u201cTo thine own self be true\u201d is often used as an excuse to do whatever a person wants instead of what\u2019s expected\u2014or even what they\u2019ve already committed to. This is suicide in business\u2014and the rest of life.<\/p>\n

Not only is integrity essential for strong friendships, it\u2019s crucial for all of our relationships. \u201cHonesty,\u201d says Stephen Covey, \u201cis making your words conform to reality. Integrity is making reality conform to your words.\u201d We won\u2019t get far in life without it.<\/p>\n

Just think about your work. Without the kind of integrity Covey describes, you cannot be an effective leader. Why?<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Trust depends on integrity.<\/strong> If people can\u2019t rely on your word, they won\u2019t trust you<\/a>. They may extend some grace, but eventually, people will doubt and disbelieve.<\/li>\n
  2. Influence depends on trust.<\/strong> People will refuse the influence of leaders they distrust. Just look at how this plays out in politics or the media. We follow people we trust.<\/li>\n
  3. Impact depends on influence.<\/strong> You can\u2019t make the impact you want unless you can influence others and shift their behavior.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Now think of other relationships: marriage, parenting, church, whatever. The strength of our relationships is measured by how much people can count on us. If we\u2019re not true to our words, that means our relationships will be as unreliable as we are.<\/p>\n\t\t