Latest news

Back to articles

Deadlines: Mind the Credibility Gap!

"We'll get that to you tomorrow morning."

You've heard it a thousand times; we've heard it a thousand times. We know it's not true, and so do you - so why do we continue with the ritual of missed deadlines?

Honesty is a form of respect

Honesty is more important than punctuality. More important still is sensible, mature expectation management. And this is a crucial skill in every aspect of business - one that we take very seriously.

We're in the business of building a reputation, and that involves mutual respect. We take our clients seriously, because they are people and organisations with whom we feel an affinity and with whom we are confident we can create real value.

At Osmo we are also under no illusions about the time and money needed in order to develop and execute solutions properly. We operate in a complex and comparatively high-stakes market, and as such one of the most fundamental things our clients pay for is realism. Over-promising, or simply saying 'yes', isn't conducive to success in any sense - not yours, and not ours.

Loss of Credibility Capital

Indeed, more than that, a lack of expectation management and an unrealistic approach to deadlines and timings can entirely destroy funds and companies, or prevent them from getting off the ground in the first place.

Everyone wants to launch their fund quickly, or implement that crucial new process as soon as is humanly possible. We get it, it’s important - and time is money right?  But it's also important to be aware of the negative impact this approach can have.  

Impossible timeframes lead to a loss of credibility capital - one of your most important assets. Every deadline is crucial, because missing them leads to a cascade effect and reduction in your credibility - and as we all know, it’s more difficult and more resource-intensive to get you back to where you started than it is to maintain that capital in the first place.The more seemingly minor deadlines that are missed, the greater the impact of each one. There may not be a single catastrophic 'event' that causes the entire plan to fall apart, but instead a gradual leeching of momentum, resource, and ultimately goodwill.

If your investors and partners see that you can’t deliver on your deadlines, then what hope do you have of persuading them that you can deliver on your investment strategy?

Realism is a tool

The crucial, defining asset you can buy from your service provider is also the simplest: respect. Osmo works with clients and partners we believe in and, most importantly, that we know we can genuinely support. We are a human-led, experience-driven firm with personal reputation and client referral at the very heart of everything we do.

We'll be honest with you, because it's the best way to build a business - both ours and yours. You should demand the same from all your partners.



Back to articles