The rule
If you say you'll send the article, make the introduction, call on Thursday or return the book, do it. Big promises tend to look after themselves, because everyone is watching. The small ones are where your word is actually tested.
Why it matters
People decide whether to trust you from a long series of minor moments. Each small promise kept adds to your reputation, and each one forgotten quietly takes something away.
How to do it well
- Only say you'll do something if you mean it. "We must have lunch" is a promise too.
- Write it down the moment you say it.
- If you can't deliver, say so before the deadline, not after it.