Promises made… Promises kept!

“The large print giveth and the small print taketh away…”
– Tom Waits
American Singer/Songwriter
(1949-)

There have been a lot of “Explanations” lately…

“Investment Bank explains its role as market maker.”

“Bond Rater explains in court that its documents are “free speech only,” and not to be “relied upon with confidence” as truly indicative of underlying security performance.”

“Money Manager explains its portfolio management approach was sound despite failure to withstand downturn.”

“Government explains its role as guarantor of last resort as housing crisis puts Fannie and Freddie on Federal Dole.”

Let us explain… “Explanation” is code for “we did you wrong, broke a promise, or failed to deliver and we’re not owning up or even attempting to make it right, but we hope this explanation (excuse, alibi, justification, rationalization, exculpation) is sufficient to forestall the indictment.”

I tried that strategy a few times as a teenager, which always resulted in a talk with Dad beginning with the phrase “Now let me get this straight…”

I discovered that no amount of creativity in the Explanation Department would get me off the hook. Perhaps our finance and government sectors didn’t have fathers.

From our point of view, one builds a business, a public trust or a brand by making and keeping promises.

Making the promise is the job of Communication and Sales who build a story and tell it repeatedly. When someone “buys it,” Customer Service takes over and the relationship can continue (sometimes for a lifetime) as long as the delivery cycle remains trouble free. Promises Made… Promises Kept!

But when there’s a break or a failure of some kind – as in our recent public circumstance – people start questioning the promise; and the “explanations” begin…

Unfortunately, there are limits to the power of stories – which only “symbolize” the meaningful commitment to deliver. An “Explanation” is no substitute for substance. It’s not a story or an explanation that’s in order – but a sucking it up and delivering on the original promise – or the trust is irretrievably broken.

The staggering number of people, companies, industries and market sectors that have had to resort to “public explanations” make us apprehensive about any public promise. An honest promise was the foundation of “the American Way.” What can or will take its place in the brave new world? Shudder!

Paint the fence, deliver the product, perform as promised, perform a make-good or be gone! And take your self-serving explanation with you! The public is becoming restive with public figures and organizations that attempt to pass a counterfeit promise for legal tender.

Building your career? Make a promise! Frame is as a Story. Tell it the same way in print, in person, on the phone and the web! Again and again and again.

It’s a promise. When someone accepts, never stop delivering!

You’ll find there’s less need to “read the small print.”

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