The Commitment Engine by John Jantsch - Book review

The Commitment Engine

Making Work Worth It

By: John Jantsch

Published: October 11, 2012
Format: Hardcover, 256 pages
ISBN-10: 1591844878
ISBN-13: 978-1591844877
Publisher: Portfolio/Penguin














"A business is only alive to the extent that there is commitment", writes marketing consultant, speaker, and blogger John Jantsch, in his refreshing and purpose driven book The Commitment Engine: Making Work Worth It . The author describes the essential, but very often overlooked factor cf commitment, both within and outside the company. He shares the meaning of commitment and how to achieve a very high level of dedication on the part of both employees and customers.

John Jantsch understands that passion alone on the part of the entrepreneur, owner, or CEO is not sufficient to create commitment. That sense of commitment must be nurtured, cultivated, and spread throughout the entire company culture, customer base, and anyone who comes into contact with the company. This commitment development process takes time and patience until it becomes part of the very nature and makeup of everyone who is part of the internal or external parts of the organization. This complete immersion of commitment creates and emits a powerful sense of purpose, integrated into everything the company does, that spawns and develops loyalty from employees and customers.

John Jantsch (photo left) recognizes that the core characteristics that define a commitment oriented company exist, in varying degrees, within all companies. In a commitment engine driven business, however, the foundational building blocks form the bedrock of every decision and action taken by everyone within the organization. The factors that are most critical in the establishment of a commitment based company are clarity of strategy, organizational culture, and a widely based community that spreads far beyond the employees and customers.

John Jantsch divides his book into three overarching sections that encapsulate the core principles that comprise the commitment engine driven company. Each of the three basic pillars is further subdivided into chapters that delve more deeply into the overall concepts contained within the principles. The three foundation building blocks of a commitment driven organization are as follows:

* The Path: Clarity
* The Patron: culture
* The Promise: Community

For me, the power of the book is how John Jantsch combines his overall framework for what comprises a commitment based company, with the practical hands on strategies and techniques to make that effective organization a reality. The author outlines the principles that are essential to developing a commitment company through establishing a sense of purpose. John Jantsch provides the reasoning and guidance for achieving clarity and passion for the higher purpose of the company. The author demonstrates how that passion and sense of true purpose is propelled forward through the leadership, employees, and culture of the company.

John Jantsch offers a comprehensive examination and set of practices to create a superior customer experience that generates loyalty and an enthusiastic community far beyond the limits of employees and customers alone. To add further substance to the core principles of commitment, John Jantsch shares the stories of real world companies who have integrated the pillars of commitment successfully into their own organization.

I highly recommend the transformational and insight filled book The Commitment Engine: Making Work Worth It by John Jantsch, to any business leaders, owners, entrepreneurs, executives, and managers who are seeking a clear and concise blueprint for establishing and growing a commitment based enterprise. This book will lay the foundation for a purpose driven organization that has both an unshakeable company culture and a widely spread loyal community of passionate supporters.