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Think of a time when someone (parent, teacher, boss) expected the best from you. You responded by performing better than you had thought possible.
With that positive encouragement and the bar being set high for you what else was he or she implicitly communicating? In expecting the best the person was saying:
“I know what you are capable of doing.”
“I believe you can perform at the highest levels.”
Setting high expectations is a powerful motivational tool. However, once leaders have,
1. Established high expectations 2. Leveraged the individual’s strengths 3. Connected with what the person wants 4. Provided the needed resources
Anyone can produce the very best.
Berlew and Hall (1966) examined the relationship between a manager’s high expectations at AT&T and subsequent employee performance.
Results indicated a strong positive relationship between manager expectations of employees during their first year on the job and the employees’ subsequent performance over the following 6-7 years.
It was concluded that placing high expectations on new employees could lead to high levels of performance and later success in the company.
It is amazing how transformative it can be for individuals or organizations when others expect the best of you.
Who was that person in your life? I would love to hear your story in the comments section.
