Under-Promise, Over-Deliver

The title of this post is a well known phrase with regards to the sales process and customer-service side of business. If you over-commit yourself or your services to an initial customer, you are at great risk of losing their business in the short-term. More importantly, you will most likely never regain their trust or their business.

This concept is also important when it comes to leadership. A leader has to stand behind his or her word and deliver on what is communicated. If you over-promise and under-deliver to your people, you will lose their respect while simultaneously extinguishing their enthusiasm. Leaders cannot get caught up in trying to please everyone all of the time or in winning popularity contests. Leadership requires the ability to make the tough decisions. Sometimes these decisions can negatively impact an individual while being in the best interest of the business. Effective leaders will always make sure to take whatever time necessary to have those tough discussions with their clients or staff members when necessary, and they will take the extra step to keep their folks informed as to why certain decisions are made.

Leaders have to be just as aware of over-promising and under-delivering to the individuals they lead as sales executives must be when walking a prospect through the buying process. As a leader you can set yourself up to be successful by doing the reverse (under-promising and over-delivering). Make this a general rule in how you interact with others and you will always do well in establishing your credibility as an effective leader.

What commitments have you made recently? Have you lived up to your "promises?" If not, are you still committed?