Moving From Compliance to Commitment

When an employee is scared of their manager, they tend to be compliant. This is because they fear the repercussions of not doing what they are supposed to do. However, when an employee respects their manager, they tend to be committed, and they want to contribute to the overall success of the team. In business, commitment is significantly more powerful than compliance because it leads to higher quality work, better team engagement, long-term sustainability, and enduring motivation.

Compliance means that an employee will do the necessary work and follow the organizational rules because of external pressure, but not necessarily because they feel inclined to do so. When a manager tries to force compliance on their team, employees will often do the bare minimum of what is expected of them. They feel as if they “have to do something,” and when their manager is not around to observe them, they often slack off.

Only seeking compliance is not a feasible management technique, and it is also exhausting for the manager. It creates more work but does not produce more results. It can also cause the manager to burn out because the team lacks initiative without them. Not only is compliance less effective than securing the team’s commitment, but it can also lead to employee resentment, and in turn, employee turnover.

On the other hand, commitment means that an employee is intrinsically motivated to do the job. They want to do well personally, they want to grow, and they want the team to succeed. An employee who is committed to their role will often give discretionary effort beyond what is required or expected of them. They take ownership of the process, and they have a sense of internal accountability.

While some people may inherently buy into the mission of the organization, garnering commitment is largely attributed to the culture they experience at work. Leaders set the tone for this in how they communicate goals, objectives, standards, and changes, as well as in the behaviors they demonstrate, and in what they tolerate, promote, or discourage. An effective leader understands the importance of rallying their team around an idea, rather than simply forcing them to complete tasks. They help their team recognize why they should do something, not just what they should do.

In business, compliance is not to be confused with commitment. If you want your employees to produce at a higher level and take ownership of their role, you need to get them to buy into organizational goals. This starts at the leadership level and works its way down to your front line employees. So focus on fostering a purpose-driven culture instead of a fear-based culture, and ensure that people understand the value they bring to the organization and the importance of their work. At the end of the day, you’re looking for commitment, not just compliance.

-Meghan Slaughter