I was weaned on the sales adage “Under promise and over deliver.” I have lived by it my entire professional career. From my days managing Red Lobster restaurants to running nightclubs to the sponsorship industry, I learned early (OK, I learned slowly and over and over again until I was probably in my 40s) that it is far better to under promise and over deliver than the other way around. From quoting a wait time on a busy Friday night in the restaurant or night club to whether or not the team mascot will show up at a major client’s kid’s birthday party, I learned to under promise. Then I had happy customers when I over delivered.
Why do many people over promise? That only creates disappointment. But even worse, they tarnish their image and credibility. Recent studies and research has shown that people over promise (and it is rampant in our sector) for a myriad of reasons, mostly linked to lack of confidence in themselves. Here are some of the top reasons for over promising.
- The belief that others will like you more if you agree to deliver. People who have a strong need to be liked quickly say, “Yes I can,” and push off the idea of how they will satisfy the pledge until later. Later usually proves to be a disappointment.
- An aversion to disappointing others. Those who fear letting others down and feel they must say Yes usually dread being disliked, which is the mirror image of wanting to be liked.
- People often over commit to feel good about themselves. A promise that is difficult to keep lends an air of importance to the person offering it. People feel powerful and influential when they project they can deliver on a highly-prized outcome. The more impressive the feat, the more important they feel, until they sheepishly admit later that they overpromised.
- People over promise because they have an overly optimistic view (less than reality) of what they can do. When people over-estimate their ability to deliver, they naturally over promise. Choosing to deny the obstacles and risks associated with delivering on the promise can often become a pattern that is hard to break. Taking the rose-colored glasses off is difficult when you don’t know you’re wearing them.
It is important to not over promise. Remember, we are in an industry that relies on trust, credibility, and the ability to deliver what we promise. This is a relationship business. Make sure you under promise and over deliver.
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