ProTalk - Getting the Commitment
By Rick Welling and Sgt. 1st Class Jeremy Barbaresi, USAREC, Doctrine Division
June 15, 2015
The foundation of our profession is centered on trust… it will take every measure of competence and commitment to forge ahead and above all, it will take character.
-- General Raymond T. Odierno, Chief of Staff, US Army
Soldiers make commitments every day. The Army defines commitment as “The resolve of Army professionals to contribute honorable service to the nation, to perform their duties with discipline and to standards, and to strive to accomplish successfully and ethically the mission despite adversity, obstacles, and challenges.”
Soldiers strive to live this definition. Commitment is a word near and dear to a recruiter, not only because they are Soldiers, but also because a recruiter’s job is to obtain a commitment from the men and women that want to become Soldiers.
How do recruiters inspire a commitment from someone to become a Soldier?
Commitment cannot be obtained by some magical or miraculous technique. Throughout their presentations, Army recruiters must prepare prospects to make this commitment.
Recruiters should always attempt to gain commitment in a way that is consistent with the objectives of the interview. In other words, the recruiter needs to determine the prospect’s objectives in order to present courses of action for decisions.
Obtaining a commitment begins with the recruiter's initial contact with the prospect and succeeds only when all facets of the interview process fall into their proper places. The process of obtaining a commitment is the logical progression of the Army Interview, if completed as designed. Commitment is important for the potential Future Soldier, the Army, and the recruiter. It should result in a win–win situation for all concerned.
The price of an Army enlistment is difficult to define in terms of payment, but there is a price, and it varies for every Soldier.
Why is this important? When you think about a commitment, it is normally associated with buying a product or service. An Army enlistment commitment is similar, but it is not a product or service; it is a way of life. It is like making a commitment to join a particular church, social organization, or club. People make commitments to organizations that share common values and/or interests.
There is no one right time to obtain a commitment. Recruiters should watch their prospects closely and recognize when to ask for a commitment. Successful recruiters carefully monitor prospects’ comments, their nonverbal cues and actions, and their responses to probes.
If the prospect is smiling during the interview and looks interested in what you are saying, that’s great. If he or she appears confused, disgusted or uninterested, take note.
A confused prospect may furrow or raise an eyebrow. A disgusted person will often raise both eyebrows and shake his or her head from side to side. If the prospect is uninterested, he or she will look at you with glazed eyes and no expression on his or her face.
Positive gestures from applicants include taking notes, nodding yes, and laughing at your funny stories. Cues of which to be aware include crossed arms while leaning back, cocking one’s head to one side while raising an eyebrow, and shaking his or her head no while verbally responding, “Yes.”
Pay attention to the questions prospects ask about requirements and benefits and how they response to the trial close.
To successfully obtain a commitment from a prospect and turn them into an applicant, the recruiter needs to maintain a positive attitude, allow the prospect to set the pace, be assertive rather than aggressive, and present the items the person is interested in, in the right amounts. Engaging in these practices will result in a strong, long-term relationship between the prospect, applicant, and the Future Soldier and their recruiter.
“There’s a difference between interest and commitment. When you are interested in doing something, you do it only when circumstance permit. When you’re committed to something, you accept no excuses, only results.”
-- Art Turock, Motivational Speaker
No one method of obtaining commitment works best for every person. The direct request method is the simplest to use; however, the prospect often needs help evaluating the Army’s proposal delivered by the recruiter.
Other methods may be more appropriate, such as the alternative choice, the benefit summary, the Ben Franklin method, or the challenge method. Remember that no method of obtaining commitment will work if a prospect does not trust the recruiter, have a clear understanding of what to expect, or what their obligation is to the Army or the recruiter.
When the commitment is secure, the recruiter should immediately assure the prospect that the choice was judicious. The recruiter should show a genuine appreciation for the applicant’s commitment to serve and continue to cultivate the relationship.
If a commitment is not obtained, the recruiter should analyze the reasons. Difficulties in obtaining commitment can be directly traced to wrong attitudes, a poor presentation, and or poor habits and skills.
If no commitment is obtained, the recruiter should thank the prospect for his or her time, remain cordial, ask for a referral, and finally ask the prospect for the possibility to reconnect later. This allows the recruiter to stay in touch with the prospect should he or she be interested and eligible in joining the Army in the future and for obtaining referrals.
So how do recruiters inspire a commitment from someone to become a Soldier? First, they have to self-develop. The attributes a successful recruiter must possess and develop are built upon the Army Values and the foundations of recruiting – trust and credibility.
Successful recruiter attributes include self-discipline, optimism, competitiveness, initiative, resourcefulness, determination, caring, empathy and emotional intelligence, communication, and influence. Success in recruiting depends on the recruiter’s commitment to developing these attributes.
The second objective a recruiter must accomplish to inspire a commitment is to become a master of closing – asking for a commitment – along with the various closing techniques. Not because they need to be able to close a deal, but because they need to obtain the commitment to open the possibility of working together, which is the first and most critical commitment the recruiter must obtain.
Recruiters obtain commitments that move prospects through the process of joining the Army and becoming valued members of the Army profession. Commitments are obtained only after the recruiter has created value for the prospect, and the prospect’s commitment creates future value to the recruiter, the Army and the prospect as a team.
The final objective a recruiter must accomplish to inspire a commitment is to commit themselves to excellence. Any successful person will tell you to be successful; you must become committed to the task. No sport or business figure was ever 100 percent successful 100 percent of the time, but they were committed toward
achieving that level.
“The quality of a person’s life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field of endeavor.” -- Vince Lombardi, Football Player, Coach and Executive
By Rick Welling and Sgt. 1st Class Jeremy Barbaresi, USAREC, Doctrine Division
June 15, 2015
The foundation of our profession is centered on trust… it will take every measure of competence and commitment to forge ahead and above all, it will take character.
-- General Raymond T. Odierno, Chief of Staff, US Army
Soldiers make commitments every day. The Army defines commitment as “The resolve of Army professionals to contribute honorable service to the nation, to perform their duties with discipline and to standards, and to strive to accomplish successfully and ethically the mission despite adversity, obstacles, and challenges.”
Soldiers strive to live this definition. Commitment is a word near and dear to a recruiter, not only because they are Soldiers, but also because a recruiter’s job is to obtain a commitment from the men and women that want to become Soldiers.
How do recruiters inspire a commitment from someone to become a Soldier?
Commitment cannot be obtained by some magical or miraculous technique. Throughout their presentations, Army recruiters must prepare prospects to make this commitment.
Recruiters should always attempt to gain commitment in a way that is consistent with the objectives of the interview. In other words, the recruiter needs to determine the prospect’s objectives in order to present courses of action for decisions.
Obtaining a commitment begins with the recruiter's initial contact with the prospect and succeeds only when all facets of the interview process fall into their proper places. The process of obtaining a commitment is the logical progression of the Army Interview, if completed as designed. Commitment is important for the potential Future Soldier, the Army, and the recruiter. It should result in a win–win situation for all concerned.
The price of an Army enlistment is difficult to define in terms of payment, but there is a price, and it varies for every Soldier.
Why is this important? When you think about a commitment, it is normally associated with buying a product or service. An Army enlistment commitment is similar, but it is not a product or service; it is a way of life. It is like making a commitment to join a particular church, social organization, or club. People make commitments to organizations that share common values and/or interests.
There is no one right time to obtain a commitment. Recruiters should watch their prospects closely and recognize when to ask for a commitment. Successful recruiters carefully monitor prospects’ comments, their nonverbal cues and actions, and their responses to probes.
If the prospect is smiling during the interview and looks interested in what you are saying, that’s great. If he or she appears confused, disgusted or uninterested, take note.
A confused prospect may furrow or raise an eyebrow. A disgusted person will often raise both eyebrows and shake his or her head from side to side. If the prospect is uninterested, he or she will look at you with glazed eyes and no expression on his or her face.
Positive gestures from applicants include taking notes, nodding yes, and laughing at your funny stories. Cues of which to be aware include crossed arms while leaning back, cocking one’s head to one side while raising an eyebrow, and shaking his or her head no while verbally responding, “Yes.”
Pay attention to the questions prospects ask about requirements and benefits and how they response to the trial close.
To successfully obtain a commitment from a prospect and turn them into an applicant, the recruiter needs to maintain a positive attitude, allow the prospect to set the pace, be assertive rather than aggressive, and present the items the person is interested in, in the right amounts. Engaging in these practices will result in a strong, long-term relationship between the prospect, applicant, and the Future Soldier and their recruiter.
“There’s a difference between interest and commitment. When you are interested in doing something, you do it only when circumstance permit. When you’re committed to something, you accept no excuses, only results.”
-- Art Turock, Motivational Speaker
No one method of obtaining commitment works best for every person. The direct request method is the simplest to use; however, the prospect often needs help evaluating the Army’s proposal delivered by the recruiter.
Other methods may be more appropriate, such as the alternative choice, the benefit summary, the Ben Franklin method, or the challenge method. Remember that no method of obtaining commitment will work if a prospect does not trust the recruiter, have a clear understanding of what to expect, or what their obligation is to the Army or the recruiter.
When the commitment is secure, the recruiter should immediately assure the prospect that the choice was judicious. The recruiter should show a genuine appreciation for the applicant’s commitment to serve and continue to cultivate the relationship.
If a commitment is not obtained, the recruiter should analyze the reasons. Difficulties in obtaining commitment can be directly traced to wrong attitudes, a poor presentation, and or poor habits and skills.
If no commitment is obtained, the recruiter should thank the prospect for his or her time, remain cordial, ask for a referral, and finally ask the prospect for the possibility to reconnect later. This allows the recruiter to stay in touch with the prospect should he or she be interested and eligible in joining the Army in the future and for obtaining referrals.
So how do recruiters inspire a commitment from someone to become a Soldier? First, they have to self-develop. The attributes a successful recruiter must possess and develop are built upon the Army Values and the foundations of recruiting – trust and credibility.
Successful recruiter attributes include self-discipline, optimism, competitiveness, initiative, resourcefulness, determination, caring, empathy and emotional intelligence, communication, and influence. Success in recruiting depends on the recruiter’s commitment to developing these attributes.
The second objective a recruiter must accomplish to inspire a commitment is to become a master of closing – asking for a commitment – along with the various closing techniques. Not because they need to be able to close a deal, but because they need to obtain the commitment to open the possibility of working together, which is the first and most critical commitment the recruiter must obtain.
Recruiters obtain commitments that move prospects through the process of joining the Army and becoming valued members of the Army profession. Commitments are obtained only after the recruiter has created value for the prospect, and the prospect’s commitment creates future value to the recruiter, the Army and the prospect as a team.
The final objective a recruiter must accomplish to inspire a commitment is to commit themselves to excellence. Any successful person will tell you to be successful; you must become committed to the task. No sport or business figure was ever 100 percent successful 100 percent of the time, but they were committed toward
achieving that level.
“The quality of a person’s life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field of endeavor.” -- Vince Lombardi, Football Player, Coach and Executive