Articles

Going All In

by Joe Calloway

From the upcoming book “Work Like You’re Showing Off! The Joy, Jazz, And Kick Of Being Better Tomorrow Than You Were Today” (release date June 2007 – John Wiley And Sons Publishing)

There’s a cultural phenomenon sweeping America: poker as a spectator sport. On any given night on your television, there may be as many as half a dozen channels featuring poker players playing for big money. The single most dramatic moment in any poker game is when a player goes for broke. He slides all of his chips into the middle of the table and declares “All in.” It’s the ultimate commitment. It’s a willingness to stake everything on your belief that, through either superior cards or an effective bluff, you will win.

There are organizations in which almost everyone works with the attitude of “all in.” This is the attitude that says I am part of a team that is united by a shared vision. I am willing to bring my talents and attention to focus on doing every task to the very best of my ability. I am treating every person as if my goal is to build positive relationships with everyone I meet.

That’s all well and good, but how do we make it happen? How do we get everyone on the team to commit to excellence every day, all day long, in everything we do? It’s not easy. But it’s not complicated, either. Those organizations in which everyone is “all in” are the ones that have clarity of values and purpose, and they talk about it all the time.

That’s the foundation – to talk about it all the time.

It’s not enough to talk about what’s important at the weekly staff meeting, or to put posters up in the break room, or send the occasional e-mail reminder. Great organizations create commitment, motivation, and enthusiasm for the “cause” by making it the core of every conversation about everything that’s done. Your vision or mission or purpose, even your values, become the filter through which you make every decision.

People go “all in” for what matters in their hearts, not just their heads. People go “all in” for what matters most and for what they believe in. If you’re not talking about what your organization believes in, what are you talking about?

Contact: Julie Sloway, Prime Time Speakers Bureau, (800) 905-3233 or email julie@primetimespeakers.com.