I Will…
“I will be remarkable (b3 Remarkable) today in all that I think, do, and believe.”
This is a powerful statement that I tell myself every morning with my cup of coffee. It is strong and commanding and allows me to take control of my day. It contrasts platitudes I’ve seen countless employees offer supervisors and colleagues frequently beginning with the phrase, “I will try.”
“I will be” or “I will do” statements are more intentional. “I will try” is a means of avoiding the hard truth that only I can be accountable for my actions. “I will be” or “I will do” statements help us take on responsibility and make us accountable for where we are headed in the future.
Anyone who has spent much time with me will tell you that R.A.S.C.I., the responsibility assignment matrix used by many Fortune 500 companies, is part of my vernacular. Students tell peers to make sure it is memorized the first week of class as it will be on every exam. It says that there is one person responsible for a task and their supervisor is accountable for the task being completed. There may be many people who support them to make the task successful. Some individuals will be consulted, but the consulted don’t have a vote on what gets done, just a voice in the process. The informed individual is just that, a person who will be informed of the outcome of the task.
When I decided to get in shape and start running, I told myself “I will run” 3-5 times a week. I admit to being fastidious, but being certain in my statement has kept me on track. As I reflect back on life I realize that when I state that “I will accomplish something” the results are substantially better than when I tell myself “l will try.”
It is not enough to eliminate the words “I will try.” We must replace it with “I will do” or “I will be.” It demonstrates confidence in yourself and leads to others having greater confidence in you. It is decisive. It implies a timeline. It makes the statement S.M.A.R.T., specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-bound, further increasing credibility.
Leaders who move from “I will try” to “I will do” or “I will be,” and mean it, inspire others to do the same. Your teams will no longer “try,” they will confidently act and succeed.
Helping a team identify specific goals that they “will do” is a key aspect of mentoring. We all want to be everything to everybody, but as Warren Buffet warns, what we say no to is often more important than what we say yes to.
As a coach, educator, and dad watching others overcommit such that “I will try” is more of a reality than “I will do,” this is a valuable skill to demonstrate and lead others to emulate.
“What will you will to do this week?”
