Have you ever sat in a meeting where everyone nods along, agrees what should be done – and then nothing actually happens?
You’re not alone. Many businesses are full of ‘decisions’ that never turn into action. The uncomfortable truth is that decisions are worthless if they don’t end with commitments: who will do what, by when.
Without that, the whole meeting might as well not have happened.
Decisions or commitments?
A decision is just an intention. A commitment holds people accountable.
Commitments don’t guarantee delivery, but they do make action far more likely. More importantly, they allow you to deal with breakdowns (because they will happen), with trust and integrity.
When commitments are fuzzy or broken, the costs are huge:
- Work drifts.
- Collaboration breaks down.
- Trust erodes.
- Culture suffers.
That’s why in every business conversation – and especially every meeting – you need to finish with clear commitments.
How to make a commitment stick
It starts with a request, not a vague suggestion. Not “someone should…” or “it would be good if…” but a direct ask of a specific person.
‘In order to get A, please deliver B by C. Can you commit to that?’
It might sound formal at first, but you can adapt the words to your style. The important thing is that the request is clear and concrete.
There are only three acceptable answers
A proper request demands a proper response:
1. Yes, I commit.
2. No, I decline.
3. Not yet, because… (reason) … but I can do it by… (date) or if… (certain conditions are met). A counteroffer, in other words.
“I’ll try” or “I’ll do my best” is not a commitment. It’s a weasel phrase – a covert way of saying “don’t count on me.”
It’s far better to have a clear “no” than to watch things drift with false expectations.
What this means for you as a leader
As your business grows, accountability becomes the hardest – and most important – thing to get right. If you want a culture of ownership, trust, and results, you need to embed this way of working, for every meeting, every project and every request.
Because without commitments, the decisions you make are just noise.
Ready to turn down the noise? Contact us at km@leaderslab.co.uk or call on 07801 259637 to explore what’s really driving your results.