Episode 27 - High Expectations or High Adherence
Leadership Insight with Rising Sun
Release Date: 06/04/2021
Leadership Insight with Rising Sun
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When it comes to building a healthy culture, there is no greater or more impactful example of culture than that of leadership. Research continues to show that many of the world’s most profitable companies attribute a great deal of their success to their organizational culture. At the forefront of these organizations are leaders who actively, regularly, and genuinely display the type of behavior desired for all of its members. Some leaders equate their high visibility to constantly being put under the microscope. They describe the...
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Employee surveys can be a great source of information. They can provide an intimate perspective of certain facets of the organization which may go unseen or unexperienced by leadership. However, sometimes organizations are not prepared for the insight they receive. They may feel that certain initiatives or decisions should be met with affirmation and positive accolades, only to find out that part of the employee population feels differently. What do we do now? Some organizations view the insight as a humbling experience and use it...
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John Maxwell said “A leader is great, not because of his or her power, but because of his or her ability to empower others.” All too often, organizations are held hostage by their own people. What does that mean? We’re so glad you asked. Being held hostage by your people is a dynamic that explains leaders who do more to withhold knowledge and experience than to share it with others. When these leaders leave for new opportunities, the organization is left scrambling to recreate that knowledge or...
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We often hear that effective leadership requires bold decisions and behavior. However, servant leadership principles tend to illustrate a very different type of leader from what most people are accustomed to. While we don’t disagree with the premise that leaders need to be bold, we want to look at the term through a different lens in this episode. One definition illustrates the word “bold” as showing the ability to take risks; to be confident and courageous. Here, again, we wouldn’t disagree with that interpretation. However, it’s...
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Why are we still so afraid of conflict? Why do we assume the mere presence of conflict is always negative? When it comes to addressing conflict, there is an immediate assumption that the conversation/interaction will go poorly and possibly lead to something much worse. Years ago, we used to rate a successful marriage by how little a couple fought. It wasn’t uncommon to hear a story about a husband and wife who had been married for forty years and how they “never had a fight.” ...
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Nothing describes a late summer day in Central Pennsylvania better than the three H’s…hazy, hot and humid. But what do the three H’s have to do with leadership? While you can’t necessarily see the humidity outside simply by looking through your office window, you most certainly feel its presence the second you venture outdoors. When we think of those of who have influenced us over time, most likely it’s not their physical appearance or blatant actions we recall. As Maya Angelou once opined “I've learned that people will forget what you said,...
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Today’s workforce is one of the most diverse in history. Workers fall into one of five (yes five) different generations. While diversity and inclusion continue to garner a great deal of attention, organizations and leaders are struggling to address tension and conflict when it comes to many different people working together and interacting with one another. Perception is not always reality. We like to say that our perceptions may be our reality, but are they truly reality? One of the greatest...
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When is the last time you paused and gave thanks for the things in your life that you know to be true and good? There is growing research on the multitude of benefits associated with gratitude. From physical benefits such as the ability to lower stress and create better sleep habits, to psychological benefits like increased satisfaction and resilience; implementing a regular practice of gratitude can have a significant impact on our lives. Taking time each day to be grateful can actually play a role in how our brains are wired. A concept...
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“We have found that by reaching for what appears to be the impossible, we often actually do the impossible; and even when we don’t quite make it, we inevitably wind up doing much better than we would have done.” -Jack Welch Oftentimes, leaders set high expectations for their organizations and their employees in order to maintain relevance and maximize potential. However, many leaders wind up expressing disappointment and frustration when those expectations aren’t met. Why do so many well-intentioned leaders have employees who consistently fall short of or fail to...
info_outline“We have found that by reaching for what appears to be the impossible, we often actually do the impossible; and even when we don’t quite make it, we inevitably wind up doing much better than we would have done.” -Jack Welch
Oftentimes, leaders set high expectations for their organizations and their employees in order to maintain relevance and maximize potential. However, many leaders wind up expressing disappointment and frustration when those expectations aren’t met. Why do so many well-intentioned leaders have employees who consistently fall short of or fail to adhere to expectations?
In our experience, leaders need to first look at the priority they place on accountability. All too often, there is a great deal of effort placed on setting expectations and very little follow through. Once an employee sees that expectations are simply words on a piece of paper, that’s exactly how they treat them.
The desire to adhere to expectations is low because the willingness or priority that leadership places on enforcing expectations is equally low. We’ve seen a similar parallel with an organization’s core values. Typically, an employee can recite at least one or two of the organization’s values. Yet, when pressed for more insight as to how those core values are lived out within the organization, or essentially the behaviors that illustrate those values; employees struggle to respond. Conversely, when an organization places a higher priority on their values, it is immediately apparent in every aspect of their operations.
In addition to making both the setting and enforcing of expectations a priority, there are several other things a leader can do to ensure not only high expectations, but high adherence.
Ensure the expectations are clear. Leaders cannot assume employees understand an expectation. They should find ways for employees to show they understand.
Communicate early and often. Adherence cannot be accomplished with a set it and forget it approach. Making the enforcement of expectations a priority means introducing, explaining, and reiterating expectations; as often as necessary.
Gain employee consensus. Don’t misunderstand this one. This is not the employee approving or endorsing the expectation. Rather, consensus means they understand the expectation and agree to adhere to it. This is also not to say they won’t encounter challenges. When they do, leaders should discuss those challenges and develop a plan for how to overcome them. Blatant refusal or ignorance is a different issue, but one that needs to be addressed immediately as well.
We submit that the problem of low adherence to expectations isn’t necessarily with the type of expectations set, but whether or not communication, reiteration and accountability are important enough to remain at the forefront of one’s leadership.