Keep your small promises

Why this rule exists

Teams don't lose faith in a manager over one missed deadline; they lose it over the coffee you said you'd grab, the intro you forgot, the doc you promised by Friday. Small promises are cheap to make and cheap to break, which is exactly why they carry so much weight. Each kept one is quiet evidence that your word tracks reality. Break enough of them and people stop listening to the big ones, because they've learned your intentions and your actions live in different rooms.