Being reliable is an essential part of building trust (in fact, “trustworthiness” is a synonym for reliable). It means being dependable and predictable — both for holding fast to commitments and for showing up in the same way in different conditions. It means others can count on you to pull through despite difficult circumstances. If you are interested in getting promoted or in expanding your positive influence, being reliable is a great place to start. Reliable employees are given the high risk/high reward projects. Reliable bosses build a cadre of committed, “raving fan” employees. Reliable friends are rewarded with deeper relationships. When you are reliable, not only does it build stronger relationships with others, but also it raises your self-respect.

How reliable are you?

The cornerstone of being reliable is being careful with your commitments. If you are chronically overcommitted, you’re unable to follow through with your promises, and over time will be seen as unreliable. Care for commitments is closely followed by communication — as conditions change, be sure to provide updates to whomever is counting on you so there are no surprises.

This week’s Challenge: This week, I will choose my commitments with care, and then I will follow through, each and every time!

Avoiding being Compliant (overuse):

If you are not careful about evaluating what you are willing to commit to, you may become compliant — yielding to others’ whims in a submissive way. Not only is this a recipe for burnout, it can also diminish your self-respect. If you are starting to feel a bit like a victim, it’s time to reclaim your power and be ruthless with your “yes”es — only commit to those things you can — and want — to do. Because time is a limited resource, every time you say “yes” to something, you are also saying “no” to something else. Be wise in your choices!

Commendable Trait: Reliable
Underused: Unreliable
Overused: Compliant
Strength: Trust
Quadrant: Humanity

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