Are You Reliable?

I want us to seriously consider and honestly answer this question: “Are You Reliable?” Ultimately, do you do what you say you’re going to do? I’m alarmed how much the answer to this question is changing in our society. I’m relatively young but even in the 14 years or so that I’ve been in the business world, I’ve watched reliability deteriorate. I’m amazed, yet disgusted how often I’m told that I’ll receive an email reply, a call back, or even a check in the mail, and receive nothing until I contact and remind the other party of their commitment.

Now, I know that we can’t be perfect so at times we will honestly just forget to keep a commitment, but all too often I believe that the forgetting is because of the value we place on that commitment. If our value on it is minimal, then the follow-thru will be minimal. I’m far from perfect but I place a lot of value on the words that come out of my mouth. I really want people to be able to rely on me to say what I’m going to do and do what I say.

Part of being reliable is being trustworthy. Trust is not a gift. Trust is earned. We typically choose whether or not to trust someone based upon their track record with us or their reputation with others. There are people in my life that I can nearly guarantee will follow thru with the commitments they make. They are reliable thru nearly any circumstance. Unfortunately however, there are many more that simply don’t follow thru, and I accept in the beginning that I likely can’t rely on them and I plan for follow-up to see their commitment thru.

Here’s what I know to be true: reliability is difficult to inspire or teach in adulthood. It can be done, but the strong foundation for a lifetime of reliability is built in childhood. When I look back on my growing-up years, not only did my parents speak the importance of being reliable, they lived the importance of reliability. When I became an adult and went out on my own, I knew no different than keeping my commitments and being trustworthy. If you’re a parent and still have children at home, now is the time to give the gift of an example of reliability.

The part I have had to learn in my adult years is the discipline to not over-promise. I’ve rarely broken a commitment but at times, I’ve exhausted myself following thru with something that was on the far reaches of my ability to complete.

My challenge to you is to make commitments within your means and be reliable to keep those commitments. Be on time. Be prepared. Write the letter. Send the email. Make the phone call. Show up for the ball game. Pay your bills. Complete your work as promised. Be reliable. Join the list of those that others can rely on thru thick and thin. And periodically, re-evaluate and ask yourself “Am I reliable?”