What is Your Word Worth?

Here is a way to stand out in any crowd: keep your word. Seriously. Do not make the smallest, implied commitment without intentionally remembering and following through. Write it down … on your forehead if necessary. (OK, I’m kidding about your forehead.)

Why does keeping a commitment matter? It creates above-average trust. Do not say, “I will see you tomorrow” if you have no intention of keeping the appointment. Do not say, “Keep in touch” if you do not mean it. Creating high performance organizations begins with high performance people who are trustworthy at their cores.

Dr. Stephen Covey uses a metaphor for trust called The Emotional Bank Account (EBA). (Covey, 1989) One significant way of depositing into the EBA is making and keeping promises – implied or otherwise. Not keeping your word reduces trust. Why does this matter?

Deep down, most of us want to matter in some way. We may not long for fame or riches but there is a desire in most to leave a lasting legacy. Part of this legacy will be based on what we say. If others believe I will keep my word, my word means something and therefore others will be more open to listening to my word on more topics … including those subjects where I long to make a greater difference. Said another way, keeping my word and influencing others in a positive way are completely tied together.

Some folks are proud of “saying it like it is.” They use this motto to justify being brutally frank … all the time. If I figuratively poke you in the eye most times we talk, how long will you stick around? It is important to be honest as this too builds or harms trust. It is also critical to consider others, not just self. The idea here is to be honest and considerate at the same time. Be balanced in giving your word in the first place and then be dogmatic about keeping your word in the end.

Another implied part of this discussion is consistency. If I keep my word one out of every 10 times (or worse), how well am I actually keeping my word? Not well, I’m afraid. Honoring my commitments requires consistent action. If all else fails and I simply cannot keep my word because of other, new circumstances, I must apologize. Again, it is all about honoring my word to cultivate similar thoughts in others.

Here is the bottom.

• Giving your word gives others hope
• Keeping your word consistently builds trust
• Taking your own word seriously causes others to do the same
• Not giving your word when there is doubt you can keep it is better than making an empty commitment

As one, anonymous smart guy said, “it is better to under-promise and over-deliver than the other way around.” This applies to relationships between individuals as well as entire companies, employees, and customers.

Reference

Covey, Stephen (1989). The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. New York, NY. Fireside.

Copyright 2010 Michael A. Friesen. All rights reserved.