Core skills for CXs 1 - managing expectations

The sun may or may not  be out today but woe betide the person who promises it will be. Even the weather people hedge their bets. We live in a world where there are more potential hostages to fortune in captivity than there were in Beirut at the height of their troubles. 

We must be careful about what we say. It will be set down in writing, sent back to you by email, blind carbon copied to the world and then forwarded to anyone who might not have seen it the first time. 

It's not delivery that kills us, it's delivery against expectations. 

Say little, promise what you have delivered and learn to nod, mirror and empathise. 

Today's message? 

We will be cautious about the recovery. We are making tentative steps. We must not over promise. We must see how things go. It would be wrong to create false hope. Whilst we would (genuinely with breathy emphasis) want to talk specific numbers, it would not be right - too much rests on our every utterance. 

Embrace opacity. The future will be bright - but we would be loathe to confirm one way or the other. Luminosity is simply not our field of expertise.