Supporting Practice Theories and Models
Degrees of commitment
This is a tool to help think through your approach in a situation where agreement, commitment and conflict are important. It can be helpful in any collaborative situation to be clear where on the continuum below you need others to be and where they are at the outset.
| Oppose |
Reject |
Acquiesce |
Sympathise |
Support |
Share |
| ‘I will actively try to prevent you achieving this.’ |
‘I will have nothing to do with this at all.’ |
‘A matter of no concern to me one way or the other. |
‘I respect your goal and I sympathise but will not exert efforts to push it forward.’ |
‘I’m prepared to put time and energy in to support you in achieving your goal.’ |
‘I share in your goal totally and will do all in my power to achieve it with you.’ |
Figure: Continuum: degrees of commitment
Our tendency is to go for ‘Share’ even when a lesser commitment would work fine. So, in any given situation in a meeting or more importantly in preparing for a meeting, ask yourself:
- What degree of commitment are you looking for?
- What degree of commitment do you actually need…
...for the task?
...for the development of the group involved?
From Kate Hopkinson, management consultant, working at Amnesty International (unpublished)
