If you tell people you are going to be at X location at X time, people take your word for that. If you’re not there, they decide that next time, you’re not reliable for being where you say you’ll be. If you tell people you’ll do something, people expect you to have done it by when you say you’ll do it. If you don’t, people rely on you less the next time around. If you give your word to things offhandedly, and then don’t fulfil on it. People see you as someone who throws your word around, but doesn’t get stuff done.

 

If you want to be seen as trustworthy, credible, reliable and powerful, it’s simple.

 

Be your word. Do what you say you’ll do by when you’ll say you’ll do it. Furthermore, deliver on the intention of what you say- do things wholly, completely and with integrity. That way, people will be able to relate to you powerfully, and your word will be powerful.

 

What is power? Power is being able to say whatever you want to say, whatever the situation.

 

If you don’t keep your word, don’t make yourself wrong. All there is to do, is to clean it up, so that your word may be powerful again. To clean up with people you first have to think about what you will put in place so that what you did doesn’t happen again. How will you do it differently next time? What’s going to make the difference? Once you’ve figured that out (and don’t take too long - life’s short) you say to them what you gave your word to, you say what you did, and then you tell them the structures you’ve put in place such that it’ll never happen again. If they get your commitment behind what you’re saying then they will forgive you and relate to your word powerfully again. If they don’t, don’t stress. Keep your word again and again and again and again and again… and show them!