Article - What do they expect?

What do they expect?

We all get upset when we don’t get what we expected. Why? To some extent we were relying on it, whether it is a cab turning up on time, a bonus, a dividend payment, a smile from the girl serving you at your local bank branch.

The bigger the reliance, the more important that thing is to us, the more upset, annoyed, or even angry we get. What happens is our ability to trust that person, that company or that product or service is damaged. What is really scary is that this could be happening to your customers, your employees, your managers, your suppliers, your shareholders.

When expectations are not managed, trust breaks down.

How do you stop it breaking down?

1. understand what your stakeholders expect – ask them, conduct a survey or do a review
2. manage their expectations – if you can’t meet them, have an honest conversation
3. keep checking them – expectations change

Something to do

Test it out for yourself

1. Write down 3 things you think your people expect of you as a leader or manager, and 3 things you think they expect from the company
2. Now – go and ask them what they actually expect!
3. Ask how well you have met their expectations to date
4. Manage any additional expectations they may tell you they have – if you can meet them, great, but if you can’t, have an honest conversation with them.