Don't Announce Your Chickens Before They Hatch

Published: Nov 30, 2004

Application

This is a twist to the old saying, "Don't count your chickens before they hatch."

Some of us have a tendency to announce or brag about a pending accomplishment. Some of us do this to inspire our efforts to hustle in making them come true. We get an extra buzz out of fighting to save face.

This wishful thinking is often expressed in the press releases of business startups. This prevalence is noticed most when you read a local publication one or two years after it was published. You read the bold announcements of new entrepreneurs only to find close to 80% of the ventures never produced any chickens.

Announcing your chickens before they hatch is a major error in oriental cultures, especially in Japan. This is important to note when you are doing business in those markets. You will lose a lot of respect and meet a lot of resistance if your marketing literature includes future projects not yet accomplished.