Promises You Can't Control Backfire

Molly Graham believes that leaders must be extremely careful about making promises they can't control, especially during periods of rapid growth and change.

When hiring or managing teams in fast-growing environments, there's a strong temptation to promise stability, permanent titles, or guaranteed career paths to attract and retain talent. However, these promises become "letter bombs that you mail yourself" that will eventually explode in your face when circumstances inevitably change.

Nothing destroys morale faster than going back on promises. As Molly puts it, "there is literally no faster way to demoralize high performers than going back on a promise." When you tell someone they'll be your CMO forever or that their role won't change, you're setting expectations you likely can't fulfill in a rapidly evolving organization.

Instead, be honest about the realities of your company. In scaling environments, change is constant—roles evolve, reporting structures shift, and priorities transform. The most effective approach is to be upfront about this reality and hire people who are comfortable with ambiguity and change rather than those seeking false promises of stability.

For individual contributors, this means evaluating potential roles not just on what's promised today, but on how the company handles change. Look for leaders who are transparent about uncertainty rather than those making sweeping guarantees. When interviewing, ask questions about how the company has handled role changes in the past and how they communicate during periods of reorganization.

The practical implication is to focus on what you can control—your skills, relationships, and adaptability—rather than clinging to promises about specific titles or permanent arrangements. As Molly advises, "all that you take away from it is people that like working with you and want to work with you again, and what you learned."