Expectations vs. Agreements
Do you have expectations? Or Do you create agreements?
Not long after I left the corporate world, one word kept bothering me—expectations. We often use expectations for performance ratings – Meet expectations or Exceed expectations. I didn’t know why the word bugged me.
Later, I found out that it is such a vague term, and even worse, expectations tend to change depending on the person’s mood or the environment. I also wondered what living up to someone’s expectations feels like.
One day, I found the audio about Expectations vs. Agreements by Steve Chandler. It made me clear about the difference, and I discovered that I have no intention of living up to someone’s expectations. Instead, I would love to create agreements with the person because I have a better chance to abide by what I participated in the creation process vs. doing what someone expects.
Expectations vs. Agreements – being daring coaching.
On the other hand, how would you feel if someone told you, “I expect a lot from you.”?
Interestingly, my immediate reaction is that I feel trusted. Indeed, I enjoyed receiving those comments like “I expect a lot from you” because they made me think that the boss trusted me. And I tried my best to exceed the boss’s expectations. After I left the corporate, I realized that I had given my power to people and worked hard to live up to people’s expectations.
These days, if someone says that she/he expects me to do something. I ask back,
“What do you exactly want?” or “How would success look to you on this?”
My questions today;
What do you want? Expectations or Agreements?
What impact would your choice make in your life?