When project deadlines become “fantasy dates” that nobody believes, you lose more than time - you lose credibility. This episode reveals why teams secretly ignore unrealistic commitments and shows you practical techniques to set deadlines that drive urgency without crushing morale. Learn how to use buffer mapping, communicate with honest ranges instead of false precision, create early warning systems, and rebuild trust when timelines slip. Discover why the best project managers treat deadline-setting as collaboration, not decree, and how companies like Spotify flip the traditional model to achieve more realistic commitments. If your team has stopped believing your timelines, this episode will help you recover your credibility and create deadlines people actually commit to.