Dedication comes naturally when our work is compelling. If people like what they are doing, they are more in tune with their tools and good at finding problems before they arise. They get absorbed by the day's challenges and time flies. When people like their work, they find focus. You don't need to turn up the heat; their internal fire is self-igniting.

Being compelled by our work means there's a good match between skills and interest. Therefore, the casting of employees is significant to a mission's success. Who goes where and who does what can make a world of difference in how your people apply themselves.

If you can position people so they get to spend their days doing what they love, you ensure dedication. They'll voluntarily put in extra time, and throw their hearts into the job as well.

Dedication feeds on work that's engaging. When we are compelled by our work, it captures the imagination toward creative solutions. Engaging work also provides energy rather than takes it away. This energy reserve is what perpetuates when the hours are long and significant challenges. There's another important benefit: people who consumed with their work invest more fully in the organization. The organization's mission becomes their mission. They give time. They give themselves--both heart and soul.

With more of themselves involved in their work, people will be more likely to protect that investment of time, knowledge, and expertise as it pertains to furthering the mission. They also need to share t it, widely. Logic dictates that we look out for our own best interests. When we care about our work we have a personal stake in the organization, and are more committed to the success of its mission.

People lose a degree of control over their work lives during change. Organizations get reshaped, resulting in some forced assignments and arbitrary placements of employees
Careers get compromised. Some folks settle for the jobs that are available, forsaking the sort of work they really want.
The payoff is that they get to stay employed. The problem is they feel no passion whatsoever.
More careful casting of people protects commitment. Give them assignments that stir their hearts, and they’ll work harder because they want to.
The workload always weighs less when you’ve got a job you love.

To perform well while under pressure, we need to develop habits to work more effectively. Making the right decisions, engaging with others effectively, learning to manage our own emotions takes practice.

Driving Dedication During Change: A pocket guide for becoming an effective linchpin enables you with all the tools and tactics you need to make your interactions less stressful and more effective.