You’re excited. You’re about to announce a big new project. An important new program. A large-scale construction project. A new product in development. It only seems natural that as part of the launch, you announce a target implementation/completion/availability date. Unless you have an unmovable completion date (think Election Day), the only sound advice is: Don’t.
Project timelines and completion dates often seem like a good way to build excitement and set expectations, but the problems with timelines is that the risk almost always outweighs the reward.
Murphy’s Law: “Anything that can go wrong will go wrong.”
Projects, crisis management, or even routine business operations often face unforeseen obstacles that are out of your control. These could be anything from technical issues or hiring woes, to external factors like regulatory changes or supply chain disruptions such as weather events and transportation disruptions. Through no fault of your own, you are now going to miss the deadline you publicly committed to, and your audience now sees the project as “delayed” or “behind.” Your project may not suffer, but each “delay” chips away at your credibility and public trust, creating a larger reputational issue than the one delay itself.
Timelines also set expectations with not only the media/public, but also stakeholders, shareholders, customers, and even employees. The backlash of unmet expectations can be significant. The public may perceive any delay as a failure, causing frustration or loss of confidence in your organization. Your goal, always, should be to manage expectations and maintain positive relationships with all your stakeholders. Prematurely committing to timelines only serves to set the stage for disappointment.
In public relations, flexibility is essential – particularly with projects that rely on factors not within your control.The problem with timelines is that they lock you into commitments that may no longer be realistic. If you don’t commit to a firm deadline, it leaves room to adjust plans based on how a situation evolves. This also gives more control over the narrative. It allows you to communicate updates when there is more certainty, frame your messages positively, and mitigate potential backlash.
Manage Expectations
In the world of public announcements and high-stakes projects, managing expectations is your most powerful tool. While setting a timeline may seem like a straightforward way to build excitement and demonstrate progress, the risks far outweigh the rewards. Timelines invite scrutiny and speculation. If the timeline isn’t met, it can spark negative media coverage, fueling rumors and damaging a brand’s reputation. Keeping timelines internal allows you to maintain a controlled and measured response, manage expectations, adapt to changing circumstances, and protect a your reputation.
By keeping timelines internal, you preserve flexibility and retain control over the narrative. This approach allows you to adapt to evolving circumstances and communicate updates strategically, when the time is right. Your audience, stakeholders, and employees will appreciate thoughtful transparency over rushed promises. Ultimately, the key to success isn’t about meeting arbitrary deadlines—it’s about delivering results in a way that upholds your organization’s integrity and protects its reputation. In public relations, as in life, under-promising and over-delivering is always the better strategy.
Contact Kestrel today and let us help you create a plan that puts you on the path for success.
