Competency Development Planning Guide
Competency Cluster: Building & Nurturing
Relationships
Building Commitment
Definition
Using appropriate interpersonal styles and techniques to gain acceptance of ideas or plans; modifying one’s
own behavior to accommodate tasks, situations, and individuals involved. Click here for associated skills
and behaviors.
Ways to Demonstrate this Skill
Development Activities

Recognize when the success of one of your
objectives, activities, and/or decisions requires
another person’s commitment, rather than just
their compliance.


In these situations, identify the stakeholders
whose commitment you need.
Review your key objectives and activities for the
year until you find at least one that requires the
commitment of others if you are to achieve it.
Do not pick one that people can be expected to
cooperate with as a matter of course – pick one
that will require their true commitment and
active support.

For this objective and/or activity, list the names
of the people whose commitment you need. For
each person:


Recognize the stakeholders’
perspective and concerns regarding
your need.

Identify their expectations and ways of
working. Take into consideration the
cultural norms [both societal and
organizational] and their experiences
and worldview.

Work with the stakeholders to build
commitment.

Make certain there is a commonly
shared understanding of the need.

Identify facilitation skills appropriate
for building consensus or reaching
agreement among different
stakeholder groups.

Show persistence: anticipate reactions
and objections; plan and use different
approaches to overcome them.

Identify what you think their needs and
concerns are, depending on their jobs,
their level in the organization, and what
you know about them as people.

Identify what approach you think will
work best with each when you ask
them for their help.

Consult with your manager or with a
trusted colleague to verify your
interpretation of the stakeholders’
perspective.
Contact the stakeholders you identified and ask
for their commitment:

Establish the business case and define
the end point.

Verify the stakeholders’ expectations.
Identify the impact of the change on
individual’s and groups and any
resistance you may encounter (e.g.
technical, political, or cultural).
Develop strategies to address resistance
and level expectations.
Look for opportunities for people who
already support you to act as
ambassadors.
Demonstrate your own commitment
and flexibility to the change process.



©CARE USA
1
Rev 1/03
Competency Development Planning Guide
Competency Cluster: Building & Nurturing
Relationships
Developmental Resources
Workshops/E-Learning
If you find workshops and/or web-based training a good way for you to learn and develop, and there are
funds available, look for opportunities that address the following:

How to work with different sources of
personal power and influence.

How to influence people without direct
authority.

How to sell ideas.

How to influence others.

Positive political skills.

Courses in the culture of the country where
you are working, or where you will be
stationed soon.
Books
The following books are resources on building commitment:
Aubuchon, Norbert. (1997). Anatomy of Persuasion: How to Persuade Others to: Act on Your Ideas,
Accept Your Proposals, Buy Your Products or Services, Hire You, Promote You. New York: AMACOM.
Charvet, Shelle Rose. (1997). Words that Change Minds: Mastering the Language of Influence. Dubuque,
Iowa: Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company.
Cohen, A. R. and Bradford, D. L. (1990). Influence Without Authority. New York: John Wiley & Sons.
Hogan, Kevin. (1996). The Psychology of Persuasion: How to Persuade Others to Your Way of Thinking.
Gretna, Louisiana: Pelican Publications Co.
©CARE USA
2
Rev 1/03