English Speech Communication: Commitments, Clarity, and Trust at Work, in Negotiations, and in Daily Life

 In the culture of the United States, keeping commitments is key to being clear and to building and keeping trust.

Keeping your commitments is the acid test or highest evidence of clarity.  Being consistent in the words you say and the deeds you do is one of the highest forms of clarity.  For example, if you say, “I will follow-up with you tomorrow with a phone call,” and you do that, then the other person knows that your words were clear and accurate.

Put another way, if you say one thing and do that one thing, then you are consistent.  Your words, promise, and commitment are fulfilled.  You are predictable, and your words match your actions.

But if you say one thing and do another, it is confusing and not clear to the other person.  For example, if you say you will follow-up with a phone call tomorrow, and you do not do that,  the other person is now confused.   You say one thing, and then you do something else – which is not following-up as promised with a phone call on the next day.

In the culture of the United States, failure to keep your word is often upsetting for the other person.  You are unpredictable.

Being predictable so that your actions match your words is highly valued in the United States.  It is also valued in many other cultures and countries.  When your actions match your words or verbal commitment, you are building trust in your relationships.

When negotiating with people in the U.S. and in many other cultures, it is critical that you keep your commitments.  Not being consistent in your words and deeds creates confusion and negative emotions or tensions in negotiating discussions.

The same general principle applies to interactions in daily life.  Whether setting an appointment or agreeing and committing to do a task, making your actions match your spoken commitment is highly valued in the U.S. (and many other cultures).  People love the consistency and clarity when your actions match your words.

Pay close attention to this.  For commitments, when your words and your actions are the same, the rewards of trust and good feelings between you and other people are great.

Gold, platinum and diamond – these are some of Earth’s most precious metals and gems. That’s how precious matching your words and actions are!

Be sure to watch our English Speech Tips videos and Accent Reduction Tip videos  for more English pronunciation and accent reduction exercise.