Credibility is at an all time low – I can’t prove it, I just feel it. Overpromising has become a way of speaking. It has swept the pendulum way past credibility. Overpromising by definition results in underdelivery at best, and maybe even brand implosion.

We have all seen this hype, particularly from individuals and companies spewing superlatives about themselves to create their “brand” as the best, the biggest, the most this and that. They are meticulously manicured presenting a flawless image. But, one inevitable misstep and your credibility is potentially shattered. Being the best is a goal, not a promise.

So, how do you tout your virtues without overpromising?

The short answer: make yourself accessible.

In the early days of Comedy Central, clueless, pompous executives (I count myself in this group) engaged in a brainstorming session to determine how we would like our network to be perceived. What would we be known for? What defined us? What was our brand? We quickly concluded that we would be known as the funniest place on TV. Great aspiration, bad promise. Fortunately, somebody in the room got our attention, noting that our claim couldn’t be true and that we would suffer a big credibility problem with our target audience of young, skeptical men. We decided to refer to ourselves as a place where, among other things, you can have fun. That we could deliver.

Jerry Seinfeld understands this. Also while at Comedy Central, we hired him to entertain a group of cable operators, an audience we were trying to impress. In my enthusiasm to introduce him, I was on a path of descriptive superlatives, which grossly overpromised Jerry. I could not stop myself. Jerry did. He toned me down to the simplest of introductions. “Ladies and gentlemen, Comedy Central is pleased to present Jerry Seinfeld.” And from a platform of no expectations, he killed. Lesson learned. 

What do you do when you are caught not fulfilling these promises?

The short answer: fess up.

In the Op Ed page of the New York Times (2/6/10), Matthew DeBord addresses how clumsily Toyota has fallen from grace. They have a fine product, but no humility. The perfunctory half bow apology from its president and CEO, Akio Toyoda, the founder’s grandson, set their image back quite a few paces. The New York Post (2/6/10) similarly was critical, noting that Toyoda came nowhere near the “widely expected 10-second, 75-degree dip.” (By the way, a genuine apology is approaching extinction. We’ll deal with that in another post.) 

Of course, Tiger Woods’ lack of accessibility and his unwillingness to fess up is the crown jewel of this conversation. But, enough about him. 

You get the point. Let your strengths define you. Allow for your imperfections. You will be forgiven – so will your brand.

Robert M. Kreek is President of Kappa Associates, International, where he leads new ventures, growth initiatives, and reinventions of companies poised for growth.