Words for Leaders: Stop Saying "Commitment" When You Mean "Forecast"
Watch the Video
Or watch it directly on YouTube: Click here
Video Description
"We're committed to delivering by March 15th." Stop right there. You just set yourself up to fail.
Words for Leaders - the series that transforms how you communicate to protect your credibility and manage expectations.
The frame that's killing your credibility: "Commitment" invokes marriage - "make it work come hell or high water" "Forecast" invokes weather reports - best prediction based on current data
The problem with "commitment": When things inevitably go wrong (and they will), your bosses think you lack commitment. Your credibility dies.
The power of "forecast": When things change, you update your forecast based on new information. Just like the weather. Nobody questions the meteorologist's commitment when it doesn't rain.
What to say instead: ❌ "We're committed to March 15th" ✅ "Our forecast is March 15th" ❌ "I promise we'll deliver" ✅ "Based on current data, we expect to deliver"
The truth: Dates in software development are not guarantees. They're predictions based on what we know today.
Use "forecast." Your credibility will thank you.
#Leadership #ProjectManagement #Communication #SoftwareDevelopment #ExpectationManagement
Video Info
- Duration: 1:30
- Published: November 18, 2025
