
  • Yielding dependable and predictable outcomes again and again
  • Contributing to the team on a consistent and trusted basis


Reliability takes time to demonstrate. It is not something you do once. It involves consistent performance over a long period. As we prove our dependability, we build and protect our relationships with others and open the door for new opportunities.


A great example to me of reliability has to do with airplanes. Commercial aircraft are amazingly reliable in their main mission of taking off, flying, and landing. They may not land on time, but they nearly always land. The aircraft are dependable and trustworthy. So much so, that millions of people everyday decide to put their lives on the line and fly.

Every two-engine airplane is given a rating for the distance it can venture away from a safe landing field. This is referred to as ETOPS, and it is measured in minutes of flight time. For example, if an airplane has an ETOPS rating of 60 that means it must always be within 60 minutes of an airport.

The Boeing 777 just received approval for an ETOPS rating of 330. (It previously was rated at 240.) Based on its performance in 7 million flights, the government says that this plane can be trusted to fly up to five-and-a-half hours away from the nearest landing field. This is amazing for an aircraft that has only two engines.

This new rating means that long international flights will be shorter and consume less fuel because the airplanes will now be able to take paths over the ocean that are more direct. It will also create new direct flight options. The net effect of all this will be more flight options and less time in the air for passengers, and lower carbon emissions and less fuel expense for airlines. (Read more here)

The reliable performance of the Boeing 777 airplane over the past 26 years has built-up a huge reservoir of trust and confidence in its service. This growing faith is allowing the users of these planes (both the airlines that operate them and the customers who fly on them) to experience even better service. The airplane’s long track record of dependable service has opened up new possibilities for it and is allowing it to go to new places, literally.


FFL’s reliable service produces the same effect for our customers and in our own lives. When we deliver results consistently over time, we build up trust. This trust allows us to continue serving our clients and helping them succeed. Our reliable service increases the value we bring to our customers; and, over time, we are often given new tasks and expanded responsibilities that we would not otherwise have had entrusted to us.

Key words and phrases


Opposite terms

Undependable; Questionable; Irresponsible; Cannot be counted on



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