Imagine this scene: a leader asks for a task to be completed by tomorrow. There is no clear answer, but it is assumed that the request will be met. The next day arrives and the task is not done. The leader is disappointed, and the team is frustrated. Trust begins to erode.
Mistrust in teams does not arise from one day to the next. Often, its origin is as simple as a misunderstanding about a promise that, in reality, was never made because no one ever accepted a request or an offer.
This is one of the most common mistakes in team management: assuming that a request or an offer is automatically a promise. But a promise is not just asking for or offering something, it requires explicit acceptance. Without that acceptance, what we have is not a promise, but a mismanaged expectation.
This is where many working relationships begin to break down. Trust is not built by words alone, but by clear, accepted and properly managed commitments if they cannot be kept.
A first step in learning how to formulate promises If we want to strengthen trust in our teams, we must ensure that every request or offer made is explicitly accepted. This begins to close the gap between expectation and reality.
Methodologies and frameworks such as Kanban or Scrum emphasise the importance of managing expectations and fostering transparency in promises, and they are not the only way to invest in how to make and manage reliable promises.
In your organisation, how do you ensure that promises are not only made, but that they are actually accepted and kept?
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