Balancing optimism and realism is not easy for even the best leaders.
Yes, people like to follow optimistic and positive leaders, but they also need a strong dose of reality to maintain their focus and momentum.
Those leaders who are both bullish about the future and skeptical about getting things done turn to a specific tagline to help them create this balance.
For savvy leaders, the magic words — “So far” — change everything.
These two words at the end or beginning of a statement set a temporal frame that acknowledges the present state while subtly reminding people that the outcome remains in progress.
So far always implies that the situation is ongoing and not yet finished. Statements like “We’re doing well so far” and “That approach has worked well so far” present an implicit challenge but also open the conversation to inquiry.
So far suggests that the progress made to date is encouraging but not complete.
For instance, “We’ve increased revenue by 12 percent so far” grounds optimism in evidence but suggests there is room to make more progress. The statement “The data looks promising so far” projects confidence that is tempered by caution.
These two simple words frame any progress as positive but not final.
Good leaders consider adding this tag phrase whenever they discuss an outcome that is still evolving or uncertain. So far underlines the powerful message that the early results are favorable, but more work needs to be done to achieve success.
In many cases, adding this phrase encourages more dialogue and input from others. It signals a willingness to update the approach as new data or information emerges.
Good leaders consider pairing the expression with evidence and facts to summarize verified progress.
Statements like “We’ve achieved a 15 percent efficiency improvement so far” project confidence about what has already occurred but point to opportunities still in play. It blends humility and suggestion, while offering an opening to explore what lies ahead.
How often do you introduce the simple phrase — so far — when sharing information about ongoing projects or discussing status updates?
These two simple words can add a punch to your checkpoint conversations. They push people to maintain their momentum. At least they do so far.
