“I’ll get back to you tomorrow”: this basic phrase is a key to the trust you create. Every time you keep this promise, your trust credit increases in your own eyes, but also in the eyes of your stakeholders.
What seems obvious in a normal context becomes difficult to maintain in the professional marathon. Requests fly in. The “little things” to do pile up. We end up making bad choices:
“I’ll let them know later.”
“It’s not that big a deal.”
“I just completely forgot.”
These small omissions, seemingly harmless, come at a cost. They erode trust. They instill doubt about your reliability. Ultimately, opportunities reduce, professional relationships become strained, and your reputation suffers. Because who really moves things forward? Those you can count on.
The solution is simple, yet demanding: honor your small promises. It’s fundamental. It’s what distinguishes those who inspire trust from those who create doubt. Mastering this art means building solid foundations for your leadership and your ambitions.
With over 20 years in corporate life and as an executive coach, I’ve seen the transformative impact of this approach. Let’s break this down into four powerful, directly applicable ideas.
1. The Fundamental Principle: Honor Every Commitment
- The Concept : Honoring your commitments, especially the smallest ones, is the cornerstone of personal and professional trust and credibility. It’s not just a matter of politeness; it’s a demonstration of your respect for others and your own discipline. Every promise kept reinforces your image as a reliable person.
- Practical tool: The “Active Promise List”. Before you make a commitment, even a verbal one, write it down. Review this list every day. The aim is not to make more promises, but to keep the ones you make. Sometimes this means saying “no” or “let me check before confirming” to better say “yes” and keep your word.
- Example: Think of the person who tells you, “I’ll send you that document by 3 PM” and actually sends it at 2:50 PM. This simple act, repeated, builds a rock-solid reputation. It’s not spectacular; it’s just effective.
- Question:
What are my current promises? How can I manage them in an exemplary way?
2. The Winning Strategy: “Under-Promise, Over-Deliver”
- The Concept: It’s all about actively managing expectations. By promising realistically, or even slightly below what you think you can deliver, you give yourself the leeway to consistently exceed those expectations on delivery. This creates a positive effect and anchors your reputation as someone who not only keeps his word, but goes the extra mile.
- Practical tool: build an “over-delivery margin” into your planning. If you think a task will take 3 days, consider announcing 3.5 or 4 days instead. Then make every effort to finish it in 3 days. Before submitting a job, ask yourself, “What little extra can I bring here that isn’t expected, but will add value?”
- Example: Paul Akers, with his “2 Second Lean” philosophy, illustrates how small, continuous improvements can lead to consistent over-delivery against the norm.
- Question: “In which current engagement can I consciously ‘under-deliver’, in order to create the opportunity to ‘over-deliver’ and make a positive mark?”
3. Building Trust: The Cumulative Impact of “Small Wins”
- The concept: Trust isn’t built overnight. It’s constructed brick by brick, through an accumulation of “small wins.” Every promise kept, every commitment honored reinforces the perception of your competence, seriousness, and reliability. It’s a gradual but powerful process.
- Practical tool: Break down your large commitments into a series of smaller promises. Proactively communicate the completion of these steps. Never underestimate the value of saying, “As agreed, here’s the progress on X.” It shows you’re on top of things and respect the process.
- Example: Author James Clear highlights the concept of becoming “1% better every day.” These “small wins” create major transformations and build solid trust, both in oneself and from others.
- Question: “What’s the next ‘small victory’ I can aim for and achieve to build trust with a key person in my professional circle?”
4. Consistency in Action: Turning Practice into Habit
- The Concept: Successfully honoring small promises is not a one-off feat, but a cultivated discipline. Consistency in action transforms this practice into an integral part of your personal brand.
- Practical tool: Integrate tracking your commitments into your routines. For example, end each day by listing promises for the next. Use the “active questions” developed by Marshall Goldsmith: every day, honestly assess your ability to keep a specific commitment. For instance: “Did I do my best today to honor my commitments?”
- Example: Michael Hyatt, in his book “Free to Focus,” highlights the impact of a rigorous morning routine where he dedicates his first working hours to his most important project. This disciplined approach, repeated day after day, transforms a simple working method into a deeply ingrained habit, ensuring consistent progress on priority objectives.
- Question: “What concrete action can I put in place today to systematize the follow-up of my little promises and make them an ingrained habit?”
Conclusion: Become Someone People Can Always Count On
Honoring your small promises may seem basic. Yet, it’s an extraordinarily powerful lever for performance and leadership. By applying these principles, you won’t just be managing tasks; you’ll build strong relationships, strengthen your credibility, and pave the way for greater responsibilities.
Ready to make reliability your superpower? If you’re a leader or aspiring C-Level looking to accelerate your career by becoming a role model of confidence and results, let’s talk. Personalized coaching can help you integrate these principles at the heart of your leadership.
Contact me for an exploratory discussion.
See you soon, Dror
In the same series :
- Part I: How to apply “Start with the End in Mind” to accelerate your career: A 12-week guide
- Part Two: Active listening: the key skill for accelerating your career advancement (and how to develop it)
- Part Three: How to develop your employees’ potential: the ultimate guide for leaders
- Part Four: How to accelerate your career by mastering uncertainty
- Part Five: 4 essential self-reflection tools for developing your leadership skills
- Part Six: Assuming your mistakes: 4 concepts for turning setbacks into career levers
- Part Seven: Mastering execution: 4 essential pillars for unapologetic results
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PS: Whenever you’re ready, here are 2 more ways I can help you accelerate your career through coaching:
For aspiring executives:
Accelerate your ascent to an executive position: I help you create your global vision and develop a plan to accelerate your journey. Contact me and let’s find out if we can work together.
For current executives :
Increase your impact as a leader: You know that even small improvements at your level can generate significant organizational results and career acceleration. I’ll work with you on your project and guarantee the results. Contact me and let’s see if we can work together.
