Temper expectation with knowledge

Temper expectation with knowledge

Set low expectations… and you don’t have to work very hard to deliver them! It becomes fairly easy to please people… easy to win the appreciation of those you work with! But for a conscientious person, it might get hard to live with oneself like that; not to mention, the consequent inevitability of you having to relinquish your rights to expect more.

The alternative is to expect more… And for that, you must deliver more… Commit yourself to beating the set expectations, every time! It calls for hard work… needs courage… and high self esteem.

It sounds right to be sailing on the second boat. But there’s the challenge of dealing with people! They can be unreasonable! Your best of efforts will be undermined. You set high expectations and you are setting yourself up for a perpetuity of driving yourself to insane limits for little reward. You set low expectations, and you could easily be branded mediocre!

How do you handle this professional expectation-delivery paradox?

Temper expectation with knowledge. No profession is bereft the responsibility of some teaching. Teach the beneficiaries of your work a little of what goes into doing what you do. Most people are smart… Knowledge makes most people reasonable!

Help them understand the complexity of your trade and the effort that goes into it. Keep it high-level. Keep it factual. Avoid exaggeration. Tell them that you are shooting high… Work hard and make it happen keeping everyone posted, as you do it…. Do it with a smile… stay sincere… stay humble.

You will win everyone’s trust! Everyone will come out happy…. Everyone will win!