Every time an organisation I train or coach has a problem, one of the biggest discussions around solving the issue, will centre, inevitably, on how committed the problematic a member staff is.
Being committed at work can be described as the level of interest or enthusiasm you have towards the job you are assigned to at the workplace.
When you have an unyielding sense of responsibility for the goals, mission, and vision of the company you work with, you can claim that you are committed at work.
If you have a strong bond to your organisation, you will feel a connection with what you do.
Personally I counsel everyone I consult, that this is arguably their highest value task; to help their team become committed.
Committed employees always bring more determination to their work. They operate at a higher level of productivity. And, they are far more proactive in offering real solutions.
This past week, I have been away in Thailand. It was primarily a short break peppered with some work. But, the work part involved lots of eating.
I own a bistro restaurant in Kuala Lumpur, and each year for the past three years, I have invited an accomplished guest, Chef Markus Fasser from Austria, to share his culinary experience with my customers.
And, as part of my commitment to him, we travel around the region so that he can have some Asian food experiences. This year, we spent a few days exploring one of the food capitals of the world, Bangkok.
We had some delightful food at restaurants like Kub Kao Kub Pla, a regional Thai cuisine specialist; El Toro, one of my most frequented Brazilian/Argentinian steak restaurants owned by chef and restaurateur Jair Da Rosa; and The Punjab Grill that serves up hearty modern Indian cuisine presented by Chef Bharath S. Bhat, and managed superbly by Ashwani Ashu.
But without a doubt, the highlight of our trip was a mind-blowing meal at Gaggan.
In 2018, this iconic restaurant in Bangkok has been named fifth in the renowned, UK based, “The World’s 50 Best Restaurants” list.
There is a three month waiting list to get a table here, but if you are in search of a remarkable food escapade, I’d recommend that you set aside some cash, jump on the two hour flight to Bangkok, and experience the offerings at Gaggan before the restaurant closes its doors permanently, in June 2020.
It will be, without question, a life changing food experience.
Helmed by the prodigious Chef Gaggan Anand, the restaurant debunks the myth that Indian cuisine cannot be progressive, modern and raised to a molecular gastronomy level, to compete globally.
The proof of the pudding, forgive my pun, is that Gaggan was named the fifth best restaurant in the world, and the only Asian restaurant in the top ten for 2018.
While the inventiveness and quality of the food, across all twenty five dishes in their tasting menu was flawlessly stunning, what amazed me equally was the dedication, craft and professionalism exhibited by every single member of staff, at this restaurant.
Chef Fasser and I worked out that this restaurant, while being driven by the passion of Chef Gaggan, also managed to get something else very right; the unbridled commitment from every member of the team.
This is the ideal state, for any business owner or company.
How do you understand commitment at work?
Canadian researchers John Meyer and Natalie Allen developed a hypothesis called “A Three-Component Conceptualization of Organizational Commitment” and published it in Human Resource Management Review in 1991.
The model argues that commitment to an organisation is in fact a psychological state, and that it has three distinct components that impact how employees feel about the organization that they work for.
The first is your affection for your job.
You develop affection or a love for your job when you have a strong emotional attachment to your company, and to the work that you do. I know from experience, that if you are enjoying your work, you are more likely to feel good and be satisfied. This in turn, adds to commitment.
The second is fear of loss.
This type of commitment occurs when a person balances the advantages and disadvantages of leaving a company. Upon an evaluation, you might feel that you ought to stay at your current job because the loss you might experience by leaving far outweighs the benefit you may gain in a new place.
The third is a sense of obligation to stay.
Sometimes people feel an obligation to continue in a job even when they are unhappy or have better opportunities. You simply stay in your job because you think it is the right thing to do.
What is truly significant for leaders is to identify the type of commitment an employee has.
If you want to be as successful as Gaggan, in whatever you do, you need people who develop affection for their work. No one at this restaurant would be producing such extraordinary results without affection for their jobs.
It is plainly obvious!
Shankar R. Santhiram is managing consultant and executive leadership coach at EQTD Consulting. He is also the author of the national bestseller “So, You Want To Get Promoted?”