When we say a promise is reliable we mean that in the moment the promise is made the performer (or customer) is confident that the promise will be fulfilled. On what do we base that confidence? When assessing a promise to be reliable we are saying that the performer is ready, willing, and able to perform, regardless of the future that unfolds. This is what to look for in your own promising:

1. I am competent (able) to perform the task or I have access to the competence with the help of others.
2. I understand (or estimated) how much time it will take me to perform this task.
3. I have (already) blocked out the time in my calendar that I need to perform the task.
4. I am freely making this promise. I am not having a private unspoken conversation to the contrary.
5. I know that when I make a promise I may not be able to fulfill it. I will be responsible for any upset that occurs should I not be able to perform the task including any negative consequences that may come my way.

I can't believe it.  I searched on 'leadership' at Amazon today and got 257,587 books.  Only a few years ago Amazon listed just 40,000 books on leadership.  How can it be that there are now six times that number?  Or are there?  Leadership is a hot topic...very hot topic.  It's one of Amazon's most popular categories of non-fiction.  The cynic in me wonders how is Amazon categorizing the books?

 At LPC, we are very interested in leadership.  Almost everything we set out to accomplish with our clients takes more leadership than it does  our subject matter expertise.  The good news is our clients usually find a way to muster that leadership.