Commitments vs. Actions: When to Use Each

Quick Reference

Commitment:

"Jordan will update the volunteer database this Friday"

• Individual promise made to the team/table during meetings
• Tracked within the group
• NOT on strategic reports
• Internal visibility only

Action:

"Recruit 15 youth participants for Chicago cohort by May 1"

• Strategic work that advances organizational strategies
• Created and tracked in the Planner
• APPEARS on strategic reports
• Organization-wide visibility
• Has a Point Person (Group Lead) assigned

When to Use Commitments

Use Commitments for:

• Work that supports your team/table but doesn't need organizational reporting
• Individual promises made during meetings
• Operational or tactical tasks
• Work that only your group needs to track

Where they live: Meeting Space

Who sees them: Your group only

Visibility: Internal to the group

When to Use Actions

Use Actions for:

• Strategic work that executes on organizational strategies
• Work that needs organization-wide visibility
• Milestones and initiatives worth tracking across the organization
• Your group's strategic execution plan

Where they live: Planner

Who sees them: The whole organization (via strategic reports)

Visibility: Organization-wide

How They Work Together

The Strategic Decision:

"Launch pilot youth leadership cohort in Chicago and Atlanta by June"

Actions (Strategic Execution):

• "Recruit 15 youth participants for Chicago cohort by May 1" - Point Person: Maria
• "Develop youth leadership curriculum by April 15" - Point Person: Jordan
• "Secure $150K in funding by June 30" - Point Person: Wei

Commitments (Supporting Work):

• "Jordan will draft recruitment materials by March 15"
• "Wei will schedule facility tours by March 20"
• "Alex will follow up with foundation contacts this week"

The Bottom Line

Choose Commitments when:

Your group needs to track the work, but the organization doesn't need to see it

Choose Actions when:

The work is strategic and deserves organization-wide visibility

This isn't about hierarchy—both tools are valuable. It's about choosing the right level of visibility for the work being done.

Updated on: 05/01/2026