Jan 10, 2024
"Commitment is a function of two things: clarity and buy-in" -- Patrick Lencioni, The five dysfunctions of a team
Clarity in either a project or an organisation ensures that the involved parties understand the goals, expectations, and roles given to them. All of these translate into apparent communication, well-defined objectives, and a shared vision where no vagueness is allowed. Tools like the SCQA framework help make that clarity explicit in practice. It is easier for people to fully commit when they know what is expected and what it is all about - the flip side is that ambiguity in decision-making is what you're navigating when that clarity hasn't landed yet.
On the other hand, buy-in is concerned with the level of emotional and intellectual investment made by individuals in a project or cause. It is achieved when people feel personally bonded with the goals and believe their contributions are valuable. To develop ownership, inclusive leadership, decision-making participation, and recognition and valuation of individual donations are necessary. Naturally, where there is investment in something, commitment follows.
Achieving commitment from your team involves balancing agility with a clear strategy, ensuring everyone understands their roles and buys into the goals.
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I'm a father of 3 from Sydney, a product and technology leader. I write about leadership, product management, technology and the messy reality of making work work.
I'm currently building and experimenting with a mildly alarming number of things. I also work as a fractional product leader, stepping in where the founder or CEO is still carrying product decisions on their own, and offer 1:1 product leadership coaching for senior PMs and emerging product leaders. I founded SoundingBoard, practical peer exchange for product people. Connect via LinkedIn, or follow me on X.
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