To: My Friends

Issue: Managing expectations - no surprises

Managing expectations is key to satisfying customers and colleagues. They judge your performance in relation to what they expect of you. When you meet or exceed their expectations they are happy. If your performance falls short, they are unhappy. You can express this relationship in an equation:

This applies to anyone with whom you interact: clients, customers, investors, students and even your family and friends. So, in order to satisfy them, you need make sure that they get at least what they expect.

Expectations vary. Expectations for shopping at Costco are different than at Nordstrom's. Earnings expectations for dot.com businesses are different than for industrial companies. To have satisfied customers and investors, a happy spouse, or motivated employees, set expectations that you can meet or exceed.

Managing expectations requires a conscious effort to negotiate arrangements that increase your chances of success. It is better not to paint yourself and your team into a corner than to have to walk across wet paint.

What does it take to manage expectations?

1. Know your capabilities and what's important to you. Avoid assignments that do not play to your strengths, or that are marginally important, if you can.
   
   
2. Find out what's expected and important:
   • What is the purpose?
   • What is the expected outcome?
   • Within what period of time?
   • At what cost and level of quality?
   • Who else will be involved?
   
   
3. Define what you can commit to:
   • Accomplish.
   • By when.
   • Using what resources.
   • To what quality standards.
   State assumptions that could affect the outcome. Be realistic and honest. You will have to live with what you commit to.
   
   
4. Negotiate arrangements:
   • Know what is important to you.
   • Listen carefully to other's needs.
   • Seek creative ways balance your needs with those of others for arrangements you can "live with."
   • Confirm in writing the essence of your understanding.
   
   
5. Inform others promptly when circumstances change. People tend to judge how you do based on their expectations at the time you deliver, so make sure their expectations are current. Don't procrastinate!
   
   
6. "Under promise and over deliver," but not by too much. If you always deliver much more than was expected, you may inadvertently raise future expectations.
   
   
7. When you deliver, present your accomplishments in reference to expectations. "I'm delivering this a day earlier than we agreed to, but I thought you might like it sooner."

Expectations are a by-product of living in an interdependent world. With the pressures of a "faster, better, cheaper" mind set in our society, it is imperative for one's sanity and relations with others to manage expectations.

Sincerely,

Ian Jacobsen CMC, FIMC
Coach to Leaders and Teams