Mickey’s Corner: The SAM Pledge of Responsibility

Pride in a pledge or a commitment - no matter who is making that commitment or what they are committing to – will not endure through the generations without focus and repetition.

In the article Secrets of Texas Pride, I described “spaced reinforcement”  - the strategy of repeating an action or phrase at set intervals to strengthen a habit over an extended period of time. This strategy can be combined with a message to help embed the principles of a culture.

For example, Texas pride is expanded and projected through the reciting of the state pledge. This pledge is introduced to the youth of Texas early, and helps to build the foundation of Texas pride for the next generation.

Spaced-reinforcement also contributes to the longevity of the message, as the pledge never becomes routine or meaningless. Ultimately, this repetition aids in making Texas pride long-lasting.

Well, ever since my visit to the Lone Star State, the thought of having a pledge of our own has been ringing in my ears:

I am responsible for my own actions
and accountable for the results whatever they may be.
Today I pledge to help others,
being my best and optimizing my time and activity.

Of course, creating the SAM pledge of responsibility and writing it out is only the first step.

In the business world, pledges, missions, and other similar commitments are often batted around only to be lost in the daily clutter of the business. New mission statements and grand initiatives are rolled out with banners and fanfare, but too often these good ideas are not sustainable. Missing is realization that these pledges are not going to last by accident, but must be reminded and reinforced.

By sharing this SAM pledge of responsibility with you, I hope to begin a cycle of repetition and remind our team members, clients, and friends of the most fundamental principles of building a successful activity management culture.

This repetition of the concepts and beliefs of our company’s pledge reminds us daily that we alone are in control of our activity and responsible for the results.

The goal of our SAM pledge is that by empowering this concept, it will transcend the lines of personal life and business across jobs and industries.

Repetition works. Try it and please let me know how it works for you. I can be reached at Mickey.Straub@SAMinspires.com.

Can you imagine how different the world would be if everyone accepted responsibility?