7 Quick Points of Advice on Keeping Your Promises

Article 3 from the Honor Code says “Keep your word and your commitments. Ask for relief sooner than necessary.” It’s easy to assume that we keep our word, but in reality it’s not that easy to keep promises consistently—especially to remember and keep the ones that aren’t as personally important to us.

Why Is It Important?

Others are counting on you to keep your word. They’re planning their work, their schedule, their expectations, their hopes, even their lives based on what you’ve promised.
There will be consequences if you fail. When you don’t deliver, it can be a minor problem or even disastrous.

7 Steps to Keeping Your Promises

How can you guard against broken promises and commitments? Learn and apply this list of helpful, proven steps –

Be Intentional. If keeping your word is important to you, recommit to it as one of your key values. Test yourself for a couple of days and track how well you currently keep your promises.
Become More Self-Aware. Monitor your words and be fully aware of what you are promising.
Don’t Make Promises You Can’t Keep. Resist committing unless you’re sure you want to do it and can do it. Learn to say “no,” or say, “I’ll have to check with my team to see if we can do that.”
Write Commitments Down Immediately. Assign them a realistic completion date on your to- do list or calendar.
Be Courageous. Use the Courage Challenge engagement card to engage rather than withdraw.
Ask Your Support Team to Help You be Accountable. Get over your independence and pride. Ask for help.
Fail Fast. If you can’t keep commitments, ask for relief immediately versus ignoring it.

Keep your commitment to live and lead with honor. Please also post your wisdom and experience in the comments section below.    

Also, read and watch the entire monthly coaching on this topic – “7 Leadership Steps to Keep Your Promises (or Fail Fast)”

 

 

 

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