As a project manager, I always work in a situation under constant stress from project stakeholders, such as bosses, market sales, and customers. I hate to make a commitment under unrealistic expectations. Although simetimes I can do my best to persuade them to lower their high expectations, but in many cases, I have no choice but to submit to the decision and implement as an impossible mission.

As several years experience of management, more and more, I was getting a strongly dislike of over commitment. Around my environment, there are many managers who cannot help making over-commitment to bosses and customers, reporting to boss full of big talk and exaggerating their performance, although some of them are unwilling to do things like that.

When I in such a scenario, I was uneasy and impatient, and eager to shake off the situation as soon as possible, but I deeply know over-commitment is inevitable, what I can do is to reduce the chances to happen and the influence on the project and team.

Do you want to be integrity all along the project?  If so, you must be cautious, and strategic about what you say when it is against your bosses and customers’ expectations, otherwise you will get in trouble with them. You know many bosses are so cool that only want to heard good news from you.

I think a wise strategy you adopt is doing your best to help them lower their expectations, if you fail to do so, you will lose your reputation and die unshapely!