Setting Expectations-Out With The Old, In With The New

With another year wrapped up and a new one about to start, it's a good time to be thinking about expectations for yourself and your team.  Start the new year with a higher set of expectations.  Remember, people rise to the level of expectation.  Set the bar low, and that's what you get.  Set it high, and people will strive for it.  Some will make it, others will not.  If your team is like most, 80% of them are not delivering the results that they are capable of.

Most people set standards well within their capabilities-it's human nature.  They fall into ruts or habits that some other manager found acceptable.  If they are allowed to work at minimally acceptable levels too long, they begin to believe that's as good as it gets, and it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.  They start believing that delivering better results isn't possible. 

All the winners in the world didn't have someone saying "OK, go do whatever you want, however you want to."  They had a leader guiding them, coaching them, pushing them to deliver their best.  As a leader, it's your responsibility to deliver the vision, expectations and motivation to enable them to achieve amazing results!

Make a commitment to yourself, your team and your company to set high expectations.  Review them with your boss, review them with your team.  There will probably be questions-this is understandable.  Be ready to answer and lead them to greater results in 2009!