Episode 322 - Getting REAL About The Radical Promise with Steve Farber

What is your word worth?

In this episode, I sit down with my longtime friend Steve Farber to talk about his newest book, The Radical Promise—and an idea that sounds remarkably simple:

Do what you say you will do.

But Steve's invitation goes much deeper than keeping the big promises we consciously make.

What about the casual "I'll get back to you"?

The introduction you said you'd make.

The email you meant to send.

The thing you told your team you'd take care of.

Were those promises?

Steve and I explore how credibility is built—or quietly eroded—in those seemingly insignificant moments. We talk about why leaders may be making commitments without realizing it, what it means to develop a more "contractual attitude" toward our words, and why consistently following through can make someone remarkably valuable in a world where people have grown accustomed to being disappointed.

Steve also takes us behind the scenes of The Radical Promise: why he returned to the parable-style storytelling of his earlier books, how real people and experiences found their way into the story, and how leadership legends Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner became part of the narrative.

We also talk about overcommitting, learning to say no, tracking the promises we make, and the connection between credibility, love, leadership, and the kinds of workplaces we create.