Stop Calling Project Dates Commitments

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Estimates are NOT commitments.

But, estimates ARE the basis for decisions and tradeoffs. They help define goals and determine whether or not they can be achieved.

A team’s ability to estimate accurately doesn’t define success; but how you deal with those estimates does.

Estimating is hard work, and even the best teams will have trouble getting it right. So, when a team is asked to commit to a date, it establishes trust issues before the work even begins.

If a team commits to a date and then misses it, they become the bad guy — and the object of unhappiness and blame for under-delivering.

Good leaders don’t blame their teams; they support them.

And you can support then by changing how you communicate about dates.

Instead of commitment, try confidence. Confidence empowers the team and communicates trust. It gives them the ability to to speak from their position of expertise.

Words have power, and when you change your language, you change people’s perceptions of their obligations.

A team should never be afraid of their estimates.