Max Cred Factor #6: Commitment

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On March 15, 1783, General Washington attended a meeting of mutinous officers in Newburgh NY who were angry about not being paid by the Continental Congress and who were agitating for a march on Philadelphia to take over the government. If this happened, the ideals for which they had fought in order to earn their independence from Great Britain would probably have died and the United States as we know it would probably never have come into existence.

Washington was there to try to talk them out of it, and how he did it is one of the most dramatic stories of persuasion that most people have not heard of.

When Americans think of George Washington today, most of us see the marble demi-god, and not the real man behind the myth. It’s easy to think that he accomplished everything he did through his position and authority as the commander in chief who could summon up his armies to back up his will. In fact, Washington had very little real power to get things done. Partly this was because he did not want it: he was acutely conscious of the need for civilian control, even when this meant that things would not get done, taxes would not be collected, and his army would not be fed. Washington bent over backwards to influence rather than to coerce.

He relied more on personal credibility than on authority, and he had earned that credibility through his steadfast commitment to the cause. He had earned it through leading from the front in spite of severe personal danger often being at the front in battle after battle; he refused a salary during the war, even though his treasured Mount Vernon was being mismanaged and run into debt.

So, by the time Washington appeared in front of his officers, he had earned their trust, respect and veneration. But they had heard many empty promises and so were suspicious even of him.

And his speech was well-crafted and masterfully delivered. Washington  began by scolding the anonymous authors for their actions, then softened his tone and reminded the officers that he had been with them from the beginning, suffering the same sacrifices and exulting in their common triumphs. He next appealed to their patriotism and then closed with a vision of the glorious example they could set for all mankind.

Yet in spite of this his speech did not go well. As he concluded, he noticed they still seemed uncertain, not sure how to react. Quite possibly, the fate of the young republic was balanced on a knife edge.

Washington’s heroic stature had brought him this far, but it was a small gesture that tipped the balance. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a letter from Congressman Joseph  Jones of Virginia, to show the officers that Congress meant to act on their concerns. He looked at the letter but did not speak. The men wondered what was wrong. Then, he took a pair of reading glasses from his pocket, which he had never worn in public. Putting them on, he said, “Gentlemen, you must pardon me. I have grown gray in your service and now find myself growing blind.”

These words electrified his audience. Witnesses said many were in tears as they listened. Finishing the letter, Washington did not say another word, but turned and left the hall. The officers unanimously approved a resolution affirming their appreciation for their commander in chief and pledging their loyalty to Congress, and the nascent republic was saved.

This story points out the incredible power of commitment, and how a speaker can demonstrate it.

What is commitment?

Commitment is involvement so deep that you can’t help but become an expert in your area.

Commitment is courage to stand by your cause and your beliefs even when it becomes difficult, costly, or risky.

Commitment is contribution to a cause, a team, an idea, a project; it’s about doing the work that others won’t.

Commitment is consistency in your work, your message, and your goal.

How does commitment contribute to Max Cred?

Let’s use our by-now tried and true gauge for credibility; how does commitment contribute to good character, good sense, and goodwill?

Good character

Commitment gives you moral ascendancy which others admire and defer to. We admire people who throw themselves into a worthy cause and go to great lengths to promote it. Have you ever had the experience of reading a news story about someone who is deeply committed to helping others, and felt a twinge of guilt? It’s perfectly natural, because you know their cause is just and you support it but you would never do it yourself. Certainly if they came to your town to speak about it, you would feel compelled to believe their words.

Good sense

There’s a magical thing that happens when you get fully committed into a cause, a project or topic. You get so absorbed into it, that you don’t even feel the effort it takes to learn so much about it, and to soak in detailed knowledge. It may be difficult at first to get your bearings around a topic, but as you gradually learn more, it becomes easier and easier to learn even more, and before you know it, you’re an expert.

I had a vivid demonstration of this myself recently when I attended a neighborhood meeting, in which the principal topic was a nearby development project that I’ve been heavily committed to oppose. Our City commissioner was there, and as he fielded questions, I occasionally added to, or corrected some details in what he said. Within a few minutes, he was asking me if I had anything to add to his answers. Afterward, a lawyer in the audience came up to me and asked if I was a lawyer or worked in the planning and zoning field.

The other magical thing that happens is that when people recognize your commitment to something that they also care about, they are much more forthcoming in volunteering information, so you tend to accumulate private information that is not publicly available, and that can lead to a virtuous circle, where more knowledge produces more inputs which produces yet more knowledge.

Goodwill

Others see your goodwill demonstrated in two ways: your contribution and your familiarity. Committed people are the major contributors to the group because they do the work and take the risks that others won’t. That contribution is admired and usually reciprocated in the form of deference to their opinions.

Commitment is about showing up; people who are committed come to all the meetings and are always around. We like familiar things.  Merely being exposed to something can increase our liking for it. In one experiment, researchers flashed photos of faces on a screen so fast that observers could not recall seeing them, but afterwards they showed a preference for those faces.

How do you demonstrate it?

Commitment is the hardest of all Max Cred factors to fake, especially over time. In fact, one of the most visible ways that others have to gauge your commitment is that you put in the time, you do the work, and you show up often and consistently.

But on the other hand, just because you put in long hours working on your idea doesn’t automatically mean that others can see it, especially if they don’t know you, so do:

• Have others toot your horn for you.
• Refer to it once in a while. Even Washington, whose commitment was unquestioned even by his bitterest opponents, had to make a point of demonstrating it again. Some historians think his gesture was premeditated. If so, it was a masterful display of persuasion. Was it manipulation? Not according to my definition, because he had his followers’ best interests at heart…
• Take a public stand; let others see your sacrifice

But it’s also possible to overdo it, so don’t:

• Be tiresome. If that’s all you ever talk about, you will get old fast.
• Brag. Let your actions speak for you.
• Be arrogant or condescending to others less committed.