There is something in us, something small but undeniably powerful that reacts violently to the idea of committing to intention.

When you make a decision, it reflects on you. When you make a commitment however, you didn’t just tie your hands for the moment, but you have staked your character on following through. From there on out, your decisions will have to follow the precedent that your commitment set. You now have narrowed your own freedom and have the potential to be blamed for making the “wrong” decision. You have made a pledge to do or not to do something in particular, and people will notice and probably confront you if it doesn’t line up.

This need to “justify” is irritating.  You are the leader, you call the shots.  They don’t need to understand everything.  So instead, you are tempted to just avoid the whole thing in its entirety. You entertain yourself with the thought that having no intentional commitments equals unparalleled freedom, and with freedom you will achieve the success and satisfaction that you long for.

Think about the ball and chain jokes that people make about marriage.  While we are absolutely delighted to marry our spouse - to love, cherish, respect, and honor them for the rest of our lives, we understand the challenges that will come from that decision.  We are committing to intention!  The divorce rates in America are good proof that intention and commitment are easier said than done.

I will agree that it is easier when we try to put off making these kinds of decisions.  But if you had wanted the “easy” way you wouldn’t be in business for yourself! That said, the first step toward developing confidence in making commitments is confronting the fear associated with it.  Being afraid of making the “wrong” decision will not hold power over you if you are intentional about what you commit to.  You won’t be frightened of the “justification” if you thoroughly understand what motivated the decision and still believe in its validity.  And finally, you will not be deterred by the longevity if it is something that you placed value and worth in waiting for.  Once you have confronted your reservations, replaced them with thoughtful deliberation, the only thing missing is action.

It is necessary, then, that you be daring enough to make commitments, brilliant enough to know what commitments to make, and tenacious enough to see them into fruition.

Commitment is stewardship.

IT matters.

Blood might be thicker than water, but it doesn’t keep a legacy afloat.

Let me be morbid for a second.  Imagine that you worked the last 20 years to achieve your dream: You have built up a million dollar company from the ground, changed the face of your local community, and made a difference in 1000s of people’s lives through the jobs you provide and the services and products you offer.  The same day you realize the vastness of all you achieved, you die.

Everything that you worked so hard for is now in someone else’s hands. The result of your sweaty brow could have the longevity of many lifetimes or be destroyed in only a fraction of the time it took you to build.  Would you avoid such a wager if you could?

What if I told you that the person who took over your business was not only skilled and passionate, but also educated and disciplined about stewardship.  Compared to the alternative, you probably love the idea of someone “qualified” taking over, instead of just any old “Joe” off the street. You have good reason to feel this way.  Studies have shown that the most important value in the success of family businesses from generation to generation is stewardship.

These family stewards see their role in long term goals instead of short lived visions.  They are motivated by a desire to build on the foundation that they received in effort to pass on more abundance than the prior generation.  They see their wealth and value beyond their own pocketbooks, and see themselves as the director of every resource.

Rather than simply working monotonously laying bricks, they see a wall coming together and can imagine the grandeur of the building that is underway.

Stewardship is the make or break of a lasting legacy – whether it is family or not.

IT matters.

People hate the thought of a budget. Priorities, however, don’t scare them at all.  Ironically, priorities are no more popularly adhered to then a budget. While a budget takes time to establish and discipline to stick to, priorities are dangerous because we erroneously think that we know what they are.

James W. Frick has a great quote, “Don’t tell me where your priorities are.  Show me where you spend your money and I’ll tell you where they are.”  Think about it.  Someone looks through your checkbook and has the audacity to tell you what ranks above all else in your life.  Would you like what they find?

You cannot direct your resources to unknown places.  It is your responsibility as a business owner to engage in these important decisions.  What you do with your time, your money, and your energy must reflect your priorities.  IT is fundamental to your success, and more importantly, your satisfaction.

If you don’t know to what end you are a steward, you cannot be a good one.

Who said ignorance was bliss?

IT matters.

Stewardship is the corporate action that will shape the future of businesses globally.  It is a buzz word that encompasses a myriad of ideals and expectations.  It is hard to measure and harder still to execute.

The importance of stewardship is linked to nearly every aspect of business imaginable.  It has implications ethically, environmentally, financially, relationally, personally, and morally.  Because implications can be positive or negative, your stewardship can be deemed “good” or “bad”.  A good steward acts above reproach, exercising calculated and mature behavior.  A bad steward doesn’t.  Simple as that.

Now let me tie it together with an illustration…

Every business works hard and spends money hoping to make money. Most have learned that there is no get rich quick plan – I won’t deny the accumulating power of every dollar saved, but there is no magic pixie dust.  Small and big companies alike have discovered tempting shortcuts in the business world.  Unfortunately, the glowing opportunity which entices them is not a friendly flame.  Yielding to such temptation brings into question the quality of your stewardship and even your character.  These decisions impact the mindset of current and future clients, put a damper on trust, and devastate the branding reputation that you have worked so hard to engrave in the minds of your target market.  This bad taste lingers in customer’s mouth even after they devour the most “curiously strong mints” that a PR expert can provide.

Let’s take a closer look at national events of late and how stewardship comes into the picture.  Surface level you see a failing mortgage broker.  What I see are the greed-glazed eyes of a bank that over-gambled with someone else’s money.  What you see are people living the “American Dream.”  What I see is financial disillusionment seated on the posts of that white picket fence and seeds of impatience sown in the front planters.  If you don’t like the way I see it, we could put it in the words penned by Robert Buckland and Citigroup’s global strategy team. “Easy money encouraged many to buy a bigger house, a bigger car or a bigger speculative position.  But now, any behavior that relied upon continued access to easy money is being dramatically reassessed.  Leveraged banks must lend less, leveraged consumers must consume less, leveraged companies must acquire or invest less, and leveraged speculators must speculate less.”

As it turns out, a pickle is not just something you eat with your sandwich.  It is a sticky situation that we a nation, as business owners, and as consumers have gotten ourselves in.  Tomorrow’s stewardship is a not going to fix today’s problems.  However, developing and demanding an environment that prizes stewardship is going to progress us pro-actively toward a new end.  Personal accountability and professional responsibility are where IT needs to start.

IT matters.