Undependability

Undependability is the quality or state of not being trustworthy or reliable; the tendency to fail to fulfill promises, obligations, or expectations. It encompasses a lack of consistency, predictability, and the inability to be counted on. It can manifest in various ways, from consistently missing deadlines to making unreliable commitments or failing to follow through on agreements. This trait erodes trust, damages relationships, and can have significant consequences in personal and professional settings. It implies a pattern of behavior, indicating a consistent lack of adherence to expected standards.

Undependability meaning with examples

• The project manager's undependability in providing updates and meeting deadlines created significant stress within the team, ultimately leading to missed milestones. His consistent failure to deliver on his promises damaged the team's trust in his leadership and jeopardized the project's overall success. His undependable nature consistently disrupted workflow and created extra work.
• Sarah’s chronic undependability made her a difficult colleague; colleagues hesitated to assign her any project tasks due to her tendency to submit subpar work, or miss deadlines. Her word could not be trusted for meetings, and no matter how hard she tried her poor reliability always damaged group trust. Her unreliability eventually led to her not being promoted.
• The company's history of undependability in its customer service department, with long wait times and unfulfilled promises, drove customers to seek services from competitors. These customers felt cheated, and soon told others. The undependability of the company's customer support damaged their reputation, directly leading to loss of profits, and eventually loss of customers.
• Despite his initial enthusiasm, Mark’s undependability in maintaining regular contact and following through on commitments caused his long-distance relationship to fail. His partner felt neglected and unsupported due to his erratic communication and broken promises. Their relationship suffered considerably because of his demonstrated lack of trustworthiness and reliability.