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Under
Promise, Then Over Deliver
By Greg Hickman
How many times has someone you counted on promised to do
something and then let you down by not fulfilling that
promise? Probably more times than you care to remember.
How many times have you placed your complete trust in
someone only to be disappointed later when that person
didn’t follow through? Probably more than once or twice
I would wager. How did it feel to be let down by someone
you were counting on? In all likelihood, it felt just
like it always feels … down right lousy.
While it happens to all of us at one time or another,
that fact still doesn't take the sting out of the hurt
and disappointment we feel whenever someone we counted
on lets us down. Everyone knows the feeling of
disillusionment that accompanies being "over sold" by
someone you believed in, particularly when it is someone
close to us. These people made promises to you that they
could not or, worse yet, would not keep and you
ultimately got caught holding the bag (and an empty bag
at that). These "big talkers" basically promised more
than they could deliver and the disheartening experience
left you with little more than a sour taste in your
mouth.
I want you to remember how badly you felt when you were
let down by someone you trusted. If it feels that rotten
when your are let down by others, wouldn't you think it
hurts others just as badly when you let
people down too? Instead of making promises you are
unable to keep, why not learn to under promise and then
over deliver? Instead of telling people what you will
do, why not show them what you can do instead?
You will quickly stand out from the rest of the crowd
when you a) do more than is expected (most people
won't) and b) give more than you promised (most
people don't). While neither of these winning attributes
should be such a big deal, I can assure you that they
are absolutely a very big deal nowadays. When you make
absolutely certain that your performance consistently
exceeds the expectations of others, you will stand out
and shine like the proverbial diamond in the rough. Best
of all, you will never feel the sorrow of letting anyone
down again.
A winner makes absolutely certain that his or her
performance outsells the promises he or she makes every
day of the week. You need to make sure that your
performance does so as well. There’s no better feeling
than knowing that people can count on you – when it
counts the most.
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