Within the realm of compliance, securing an initial commitment is key.

by | Feb 2, 2025 | Analysis

 

Within the realm of compliance, securing an initial commitment is key. After making a commitment, people are more willing to agree to requests that are in keeping with that prior commitment. When are commitments most effective? How might you adapt some of the commitment-gaining strategies discussed in the Influence textbook (Chapter 3) into the organizational leadership realm? As a team leader, how might the use of a “team charter” improve project team member commitment and compliance? And, finally, what’s your experience with team charters and the team charter development process?

 

Sample solution

Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell. 

In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.


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God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.

Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.

To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.

 

References

Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.

Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.

Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.

You’re hitting on some important points about commitment and compliance, especially relevant in organizational leadership. Let’s break down those questions:

When are Commitments Most Effective?

Commitments are most effective when they are:

  • Active: Written or otherwise actively expressed commitments are stronger than passive ones. Think of signing a pledge versus just thinking about it.
  • Public: Commitments made publicly are more powerful because people feel social pressure to remain consistent. It’s harder to back out when others know your stance.
  • Effortful: The more effort put into a commitment, the more valuable it becomes to the person making it. Think of the difference between a quick online form and a lengthy application process.

You’re hitting on some important points about commitment and compliance, especially relevant in organizational leadership. Let’s break down those questions:

When are Commitments Most Effective?

Commitments are most effective when they are:

  • Active: Written or otherwise actively expressed commitments are stronger than passive ones. Think of signing a pledge versus just thinking about it.
  • Public: Commitments made publicly are more powerful because people feel social pressure to remain consistent. It’s harder to back out when others know your stance.
  • Effortful: The more effort put into a commitment, the more valuable it becomes to the person making it. Think of the difference between a quick online form and a lengthy application process.
  • Freely Chosen: Commitments made without external pressure are more likely to be internalized. People need to feel ownership over their choices.
  • Consistent with Self-Image: Commitments that align with a person’s self-concept or values are more likely to be honored. People want to see themselves as consistent and principled.

Adapting Commitment-Gaining Strategies for Organizational Leadership:

Here are some strategies from Cialdini’s Influence adapted for organizational leadership:

  • Foot-in-the-Door: Start with a small request that’s easy to agree to, then gradually escalate to larger, related requests. For example, ask team members to contribute to a small pilot project before committing to a large-scale initiative.
  • Low-Balling: Get initial agreement to a request, then reveal hidden costs or difficulties after the commitment is made. While ethically questionable, this can be used subtly. For example, get a team excited about a project, then later clarify the tighter deadlines or limited resources (be careful with this one!). Transparency is usually better.
  • Public Commitments: Encourage team members to publicly state their support for a project or goal. This can be done through team meetings, presentations, or even internal social media.
  • Written Commitments: Have team members document their commitments in writing, such as through project plans, individual goals, or even simple “I will” statements.
  • “Magic Words”: Phrasing requests in a way that emphasizes choice and autonomy can increase commitment. For example, instead of saying “You have to do this,” say “Would you be willing to consider doing this?”

Team Charters and Commitment:

A team charter can significantly improve team member commitment and compliance by:

  • Clarifying Expectations: The charter clearly outlines the team’s goals, roles, responsibilities, and working processes, reducing ambiguity and ensuring everyone is on the same page.
  • Fostering Ownership: Involving team members in the development of the charter gives them a sense of ownership and increases their buy-in. They are more likely to follow rules they helped create.
  • Promoting Shared Values: The charter can articulate the team’s shared values and norms, creating a sense of collective identity and encouraging members to uphold those values.
  • Establishing Accountability: The charter provides a framework for accountability, making it clear what is expected of each team member and how performance will be evaluated.

My Experience with Team Charters:

In my experience [briefly describe your experience, even if it’s just in a class project or volunteer role], team charters have been invaluable. The process of developing the charter itself is a team-building exercise. It forces team members to discuss their expectations, negotiate roles, and align on shared goals. It’s not just the document that’s important, but the process of creating it collaboratively. I’ve found that teams with well-defined charters have better communication, fewer conflicts, and higher levels of commitment. However, a charter is not a “magic bullet.” It needs to be referred to regularly, updated as needed, and actively used to guide the team’s work. A charter sitting in a drawer is worthless

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