Implied Agreements

Most people think an agreement is something that requires a handshake, or a signature, or at least a verbal contract. They don’t understand that we make informal implied agreements all the time, and that these are every bit as important and binding as anything bonded with the seal of the king.

When someone asks you, “Hey, can I have the TPS report by Tuesday at 10?” unless you negotiate, “Maybe I can’t get that done, because the client seminar trumps that, but I’d be delighted to have it complete by Tuesday at 4:00. Is that okay?,” you have an implied agreement for Tuesday at 10. A lot of people get to Tuesday at 10 without delivering on that agreement, and they brush over it, thinking, “Whatever, I’ll just explain that I was busy,” or “Hey, at least it’s on my desk by 10. I’ll deliver it, maybe later today.”

But unless you explicitly said “no,” you had an implied contract from the moment the request was made.

Living your word means that you will deliver by that time without fail. If somebody asks you for something with a deadline and an outcome, you now have an implied contract, and you should apply all your energy and focus to make sure you live into that contract, just as if you had signed away your life for a mortgage on your home.

That’s the way to live. Your reputation depends on it.

One Response to “Implied Agreements”

  1. Sherita says:

    Excellent post. I absolutely love this website.
    Continue the good work!

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