Published: August 26, 2008 04:43 pm            

Commitment, not options

In 1519, the Spanish explorer Cortez sailed his fleet of 11 ships into the harbor of Veracruz, Mexico. It was common practice in those days to leave guards with the ships, as the ships might be needed later to return to the Old World for supplies or, if necessary, to retreat from the enemy. To keep his men from deserting, Cortez carried out a desperate and bold scheme. He removed the sails, rigging, compasses, and all other valuables from all but one ship and burned the others. Cortez came for victory; he did not come to look at “options”. He didn’t want his men to have any doubt about their mission, so he gave the order to “burn the ships.” Obviously Cortez wasn’t ambivalent about victory. Nothing short of victory was acceptable!

When Cortez gave his orders to burn the ships, his men knew that he was serious about this mission. It takes commitment like this if you really want results. But in today’s world, what is a typical commitment by most people? All too often it’s a lukewarm response and always a back up plan, a just in case things don’t work out. We keep ourselves firmly grasped to the chair in our familiar and comfortable office in the world of the known and predictable.

We all go through times in our lives when we know we must commit to change, and in some cases, significant change. And if we are honest, we will admit change scares the daylights out of us. We all want the potential reward and excitement that change offers, and there’s often real excitement in our voice when we talk about the challenge. But talk is cheap. Commitment requires real action.

Fully committing to success means there are no excuses. If you commit to increasing sales, then burn the ship of excuses because nothing short of that goal is acceptable. Old sales goals are gone forever, and the only thing you are focused on are the new numbers. Falling back and achieving the old numbers isn’t a success of any kind; it’s short of your goal.

If you commit to meeting with one new client every week, but you used to meet with one new client every three months, burn that ship of what used to be acceptable. It’s gone! Meet the goal you have established.

Burn the ship of options and excuses and make a real commitment to change.



Bill Jourdain is chairman of the Dalton-Whitfield Chamber of Commerce Executive Board.

        

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