overpromise

Overpromise refers to promising more than one can realistically deliver. In business and other domains, it occurs when commitments about delivery dates, features, performance, or outcomes exceed what is feasible given resources and uncertainties. It is often driven by optimism bias, competitive pressure, misaligned incentives, or deliberate marketing risk-taking. In contrast to underpromising, which deliberately lowers expectations to ensure satisfaction, overpromising increases the risk of disappointment or breach of trust when promises are not met.

Consequences of overpromising can include customer dissatisfaction, reputational damage, contract penalties, lost future opportunities, and erosion of trust. It may also lead to project delays, budget overruns, and a misallocation of resources as teams scramble to meet unattainable commitments.

To avoid overpromising, organizations can set realistic timelines and scope, communicate uncertainties honestly, use ranges rather than fixed dates, and implement phased delivery with milestones. Documenting assumptions, using governance around marketing communications, and adopting risk buffers or contingency plans helps manage expectations. Some teams practice underpromising and overdelivering, capping promises at the upper bound of what is dependable and then exceeding it in a controlled way.

See also: Underpromise and overdeliver, expectation management, scope management.