Nicola Keen, Administration Supervisor, based at Barry Buddon in Scotland, shares her views on the value ‘Promise only what can be delivered‘.
“I have been with Landmarc since January 2004 and a big part of my role is to develop strong relationships with a wide range of stakeholders, both internally and externally, to ensure that the Training Estate facilities are fit for purpose in accordance with their allocations. One of the challenging things about this role is that I receive lots of requests from staff, managers, customers, contractors and our partners. Many tasks I can deal with, however others I may have to delegate to other members of the team. Having a clear understanding of the team makes it easier to set objectives and I can ensure the best person is suited to achieve the tasks, whilst not overloading them with too much work.
“Never promise in haste. A promise once made must be delivered, early if possible, certainly on time but never late. You don’t even have to say “I promise”, phrases like “leave it with me” or “I will have it on your desk in the morning” or even “no problem, I will get that sorted for you” are promises of intent. It doesn’t matter if this is to a work colleague or customer, once said, you have to deliver, not only for the company name but also for your own or team’s reputation too. People will always remember the one promise that is broken, rather than all those that have been delivered on time.
“This value is therefore essential from my perspective, reputation is an important aspect as it promotes trust and reliability, not only for the company but also individual’s reputations too. If you do a job well, on time and to a high standard, you will always be rewarded, by word of mouth or by receiving the respect of your work colleagues and the customer.
“I find that depending on what we are aiming to achieve, the scale of the request will influence the activities and resources required to fulfil the promise. A member of the team may be asking for a day’s leave in two weeks’ time which is certainly easier to confirm than if we need to rewire an accommodation block at short notice. These two both may be achievable, but one task is certainly easier to complete than the other.
“My motto is that our company values should come naturally, not only for work but for life in general too.”