The Opportunity of Clear Expectations

The Opportunity of Clear Expectations

The difference between Expectations and Reality often leaves us with an array of emotions, ranging from stress, anxiety, anger, fear, sadness, disappointment, and not the least of which is misery. 

I tend to be a bit anxious and just a touch too emotional in some…well most situations.  So for folks with similar tendencies, perhaps we are more sensitive to the Expectations vs. Reality discrepancy…

However regardless of sensitivity level, most of us can agree that we would rather NOT be miserable…we would rather NOT have undue stress, anxiety, anger, fear, sadness, and/or disappointment.  So it stands to reason that most other people that we work with or live with feel the same.

While the solution may not be 100% solvable, a OneMoreStep opportunity presents itself here…

OneMoreStep OPPORTUNITY: Giving people clear expectations can prevent unnecessary stress and anxieties from creeping into their already stressful day…we can protect them from being miserable.  So if we really put our minds to it, we have the opportunity to REDUCE MISERY in the world, OneMoreStep at a time.  Great opportunity to make magic…

My favorite author/speaker on leadership principles, MarkSanborn, writes and speaks about the concept that “truth is transferable”.  The idea that ‘what is true at work is also true at home’ certainly applies to clear expectations…

Whether we’re leading teams, teaching students, coaching athletes, giving legal advice, working with people, serving people, selling to people, or navigating budding friendships and/or relationships in our personal lives, we all have a OneMoreStep opportunity right at our fingertips.

When it’s easier to skim over it.  When we’re not really feeling up to it.  When our calendar is full, and we would rather not “go into it”…or when the easy thing to do is to steer clear of the tough conversation:   what if we went OneMoreStep...

What if we - clearly articulate exactly what we feel, what we expect, and how we propose to get there…together (wherever “there” may be)…

When and if we give clear expectations in any situation, at home, at work, with our friends, or with our loved ones, we answer questions for people before they have to ask them.  We save them the awkward ‘in-between, not sure what he or she really thinks’ feeling.  Everybody has stuff. So people already have enough to worry about.  Heaven only knows what they’re navigating in their lives.  The least we can do is offer up some clear expectations so they know where we stand…ultimately one less worry for them.

We can save friends, family, coworkers, and the loved ones in our lives from undue stress, anxiety, frustration, and misery…when and if we go OneMoreStep, taking the extra time and effort to make things clear.  That very well could be the magic “they” need to make their bad days BETTER DAYS…

Go OneMoreStep…communicate and clearly articulate expectations…we’ll not only make a difference, we’ll capitalize on an opportunity to be the difference.

One for the road…

This OneMoreStep opportunity assumes that “we”…you and I…see value in truly saving people from having that one extra thing to worry about, preventing them from experiencing stress, anxiety, and misery.  This one, as with most OneMoreStep opportunities assumes that we ‘feel good when we do good’.

Or else…why do it?  Why go OneMoreStep to capitalize on the opportunity to reduce anxiety and misery for other people?

Consider for a minute the anxiety, stress, frustration, hurt, disappointment, and/or misery in your life…past or present.  What if someone saved you from it?  What if someone took a quick five minutes to make sure you DIDN’T have to go through that?

That’s usually enough motivation for us all to go OneMoreStep ourselves…

“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you…”

– Matthew 7:12

When we go OneMoreStep after OneMoreStep…adding little elements of magic to others’ lives, soon others will begin going OneMoreStep as well.

That’s the revolution we’re looking for…a OneMoreStepRevolution.

Have a great day.

Taylor