Article: Good Managers Keep Their Promises

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Do you keep your promises? Most people will automatically respond, "Of course I do." However, a closer examination might reveal otherwise. The dictionary defines promise as: “A declaration assuring that one will or will not do something.” It is a vow.

In the workplace, promises are made everyday on a regular basis. Your credibility as a professional is on the line every time you make a promise. You may have performed flawlessly in the past and kept your word but if you miss keeping a commitment just one time, the person you broke your promise to will have less than positive feelings towards you.

Not keeping promises and commitments really bugs me. Recently I had my pickup serviced at a local quick lube. The owner informed me of a repair that was needed but he would have to order the part. I asked him to call me when it arrived so I could bring the pickup in for the part replacement.

He promised me that he would order the part that day and let me know when it came in. I told him to leave a message on my voice mail if he didn't reach me in person. He assured me he would. Four weeks later I still had not received a call, so I had to call him. Everywhere you go people make promises and don't keep them!

The most important part of making a promise is to write it down. Managers have great intentions when they give oral or written promises such as a general time for a performance appraisal. If the promise is not recorded in a contact manager, written in a paper planner, or put on a calendar as an automatic reminder, it is out of mind and forgotten. Their intention to keep their word is noble but their actions are deplorable. Very few people do this simple task.

Keeping promises is the cornerstone for building a good relationship with an employee. The promise can be implied or actual. Implied promises are assumed because of observed actions and have roots in fairness. An example would be the requirements of one employee to get a bonus or promotion. Employees watch what happens with their peers and assume the same is true for them. As trust increases, so does personal production. As trust decreases, personal production decreases. Keeping promises keeps trust alive.

Make it your goal to keep your promises 100% of the time. Don't give yourself wiggle room. Listed below are 7 manager techniques for maximizing promise keeping. Study and apply these seven steps. It is worth the effort.

1. When you make a promise, record it in a planning system. If you don't, I guarantee you will forget some of the promises you have made. Devise a system that doesn't totally rely on your memory.
2. Don't assume that the promise you made gets done when you delegate it to someone else. If they don't perform your task in a timely manner as you promised, YOU broke your commitment. Always require timely feedback on delegated tasks.
3. For those making promises to you, help them focus on their obligation. Ask for details; make sure they have plenty of time and resource to respond to your task request. Think of it as a negotiation.
4. When you are making a promise, don't be overanxious to perform quickly. Pause, look at your planning system calendar and determine a time that fits your schedule. Remember a promise is a vow.
5. Position yourself so you can over-deliver on your promises. To over-deliver, it takes deliberate thought and planning. When you tell a person you can perform the task by Friday afternoon, present their completed request to them Thursday night or Friday morning. It makes you look trustworthy and efficient when you under-promise and over-deliver.
6. Quit making so many commitments. If you can't commit to something, SAY SO. Let your planning system be your guide.
7. When something out of your control inserts itself between you and a promise, contact and negotiate a new schedule or timeframe.

Not keeping your promises can be costly to your career. For example, in a company I worked as a consultant with, the number two man had been hired because of his innovative ideas and approaches to his specialty. Most of the commitments/promises made in planning meetings were from ideas which he generated.

The CEO's patience was wearing thin with him because he never kept his commitments and always had an excuse for lack of performance. After a year and a half, he was discharged because he wouldn't follow through on the action tasks assigned in the staff meetings. He lost a good career with an excellent salary because of these four fatal flaws:

1. He didn't use a planning system.
2. He didn't take notes during the meeting.
3. He felt that contributing good ideas was enough.
4. He got used to making excuses and believing them.

Become more professional by really committing to keeping your promises. Record your promises in a planning system and don't make excuses. Make it a habit to always under-promise and over-deliver. Make every day your best day by keeping your promises.

Keeping your promises is one of the nine vital competencies taught in our unique People Smart Workshop “How to Increase Your Personal Influence.™” This workshop will help managers improve their influence with those they supervise by sharpening their personal skills. Continually learning, refining, and sharpening personal skills leads to more influence and less relationship tension in the workplace.

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