Word
The old adage, “Your word is your bond” is on life support and the chances for recovery are south of slim.
When I hire someone to do work in my home, I have learned to be very specific as to what I want so there is marginal room for confusion. I listen to the contractor or workman respond to my requests and I observe and listen carefully to their response. Then, I offer the following: “You don’t have to over-deliver on what you just told me. You just have to do what you say you are going to do.” Then I go over again what it is that they have promised for the agreed to money. I still get less than promised once in awhile, but not as often as I used to.
This is not a rant on workmen. This hyperbolic trait is now embedded in our society at all levels and we have become inured to it. We expect it. That is sad. Werner Earhart was accurate when he said, “The reason life doesn’t work is because people don’t keep their agreements.”
This lack of trust we now have is based on supportive evidence of people continually not delivering. What’s the answer? I don’t think you can answer for everyone; you can only answer for yourself. If you take care of your portion of the world, then you’ve done all you can do. You cannot expect others to change or operate the way you do. That’s Pollyanna.
We need to adjust to the world as it is rather than how we think it should be. I may even create a seminar on the topic and call it, Reality Based Negotiating. The reality is that it takes more work today to get a workable agreement than it used to. That’s a fact of life. Not noticing that fact and not adjusting to that reality will have you neck deep in disappointment. Ask questions. When you hear answers that aren’t specific, ask again until the answers are clear. This will separate the noble from the knave and you’ll know which you are dealing with, and have better information to craft your next step.
If this sounds negative to you, please read my blog of November 10th entitled: RCV.
Bottom line: In today’s society, if you take people at face value, you may wind up with an omelet on your face.
All the best,
John
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