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Volume 4.2 Table Of Contents
- “Success” or “failure”? It’s all how you shape expectations
- Trend Watch: Expectations are more powerful than reality
- Digging Deeper: How well do you shape others’ expectations?
- Ask the Expert:
- Speaking of Success
“Success or “failure?” It’s all how you shape expectations
These days, the news is filled with stories of dissatisfied shareholders, boards, investors, employees, and customers. What makes them so angry? Regardless of the specific situation, the problem comes down to one thing: people’s expectations for results are out of alignment with what they notice happening in reality. The sad part is that the organization may really be making progress, and the problem only exists in how expectations were set in the first place.
For example, a reporter recently asked why companies take so long to integrate mergers, noting that the process frequently goes on much longer than predicted. I responded that it isn’t necessarily that the leadership is doing a poor job, but rather that people’s expectations for results may be skewed. Merging complex cultures, processes, and systems always takes a number of years to accomplish. In addition, if employee turnover is high or if there is a lot of conflict and power struggles, this creates additional complexities. It would be normal to expect the integration to take quite awhile, regardless of the apparent fit of organizations.
So how do you more realistically shape expectations so that those who have a stake in your organization see less “failure” and more “success?” (see Trend Watch below)
The starting point for assessing whether expectations are realistic is by reviewing your own assumptions about your organization. Because even the best leaders are in their own systems, it’s easy to overlook and/or underestimate your organization’s capability (knowledge, skills, abilities, resources) and willingness (values, priorities, attitudes) to execute even the best-laid plans. (see Digging Deeper below).
Bottom line: Before launching any strategy or initiative, ask yourself if your expectations for success are realistic given your organization’s current level of capability and willingness to execute the plan. The more that you can enroll others to understand what “progress looks like, the more likely they are to see even the smallest steps as forward movement.
Trend Watch: Expectations are more powerful than reality
According to a study released by Professor Paul Romer, a professor in the Graduate School of Business at Stanford University, an idea for innovation that comes from Silicon Valley has a much greater chance of success than if the same idea comes from another area of the world. This is yet one more example of the power of expectations.
However, just as it’s important not to inflate expectations beyond reality, it’s also essential to learn how to reshape others’ expectations when they’re not up to speed with reality. But how can you reshape others’ expectations if they are not inclined to expect you to succeed? Does this mean that you are doomed? In my experience, even if someone is not initially inclined to have positive expectations, it is possible to reshape expectations. The first step is to know the person or people you are dealing with, why they hold their expectation, and what will positively influence them.
The more that you can produce strong, concrete evidence for why your idea will work, testimonials from others who are well regarded by the those you are trying to influence, and can demonstrate that you have the knowledge, skills, abilities, resources, persistence, and perseverance to move your idea forward in the time frame others need to see, the more likely it is that you will begin to reshape their expectations from negative to positive.
Bottom line: Sometimes achieving greater success is not so much a matter of having different ideas, but of reshaping others’ expectations so that they can see what you are seeing.
Digging Deeper: How well do you shape others' expectations?
Take this quick self -questionnaire to see what you’re already doing well and where they might be room for improvement. On a scale of 1 (never) to 5 (always):
Before launching a strategy,
- I take time to first understand my own expectations and gather evidence that my organization has the capability and willingness to execute the plan.
- I identify the key stakeholders (customers, employees, directors, suppliers, etc.) and their expectations for success.
- I tap into our shared values and beliefs to shape others’ expectations.
- I demonstrate a concrete action plan that takes into account my organization’s current level of capability and willingness and what we will need to move forward.
- I establish a communication plan so that we are continuously in contact regarding each others’ expectations.
- I set checkpoints and milestones for monitoring progress and adapting our mutual expectations as conditions change.
Interpretation:
- 25-30 Congratulations! You’re a master at shaping and managing your own and others’ expectations for success.
- 20 - 24: All it takes are a few adjustments to re-shape and manage others’ expectations so that they see less failure and more success.
- 15 - 19: Caution: Stakeholders are beginning to voice dissatisfaction with what they expected and what they are observing in reality. Use this questionnaire as a starting point for taking early control of conflicts.
- Below 14: “Gridlock” is occurring based upon a serious mismatch in expectations between you and your key stakeholders. Use this questionnaire as a starting point for addressing expectations gaps and moving forward.
To discuss these and other questions you can use to evaluate the effectiveness of your strategy, contact Pam Harper at (201) 612-1228 or contact us.
Q: Is it best
to shape expectations by under-promising and over-delivering?
A: This common wisdom will only
get you so far. Your stakeholders may accept this
approach once. However, if it happens on a consistent
basis people will reshape their expectations based
upon what they observe happening in reality, and
not based upon what you say. In fact, I would
go so far as to say it could hurt your credibility
if people believe that they can’t trust
what you tell them. Therefore, the best approach
to shaping expectations is to aim not too high
and not too low, and to base your predictions
for success upon concrete evidence that you can
support.
Quote: “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.”
Albert Einstein (1879-1955), Physicist and Philosopher