Skip to main content

The problem with meeting expectations

The concept of meeting expectations has been bandied around the business world for years - and the concept is flawed. The problem with meeting expectations is that with anything less - just one degree less - the experience is mediocre and rapidly degrades from there. Here’s a simple example: If you’re on time for an appointment, you meet expectations. If you’re one minute late, you blew it. Meeting expectations is about delivering on your promise - to everyone including yourself. It’s delivering to your full potential as a leader, employee and company. It’s that basic and that profound.

Meeting expectations is a baseline. I call it “the relentless pursuit of average.” I hope you have a problem with that as much as I do. Why even bother to be average? Average doesn’t require much effort. You don’t even break a sweat delivering average. Delivering average means you’re following the rules, procedures and systems. You’re doing what’s expected. Nothing special. Nothing that stands out in a fiercely competitive global economy.

If meeting expectations is the relentless pursuit of average, what does “exceeding expectations” really mean? Does it mean delivering “above average”? A major gap still exists between delivering experiences, results and outcomes that are above average and those worthy of being identified as world-class excellence.

Here are some no-compromise strategies to enter the coveted realm of excellence:

  • Banish “average”: It’s present everywhere in your company. Find it. Tag it. Get rid of it. Start with your thinking and behavior because average at the leadership level sets the standard and enables average throughout the company. Look for average in your systems, communication and accountability. It’s there. Find it.

  • Banish “expectations”: Expectations are unique to each individual’s perspective. One’s expectation of excellence may be another’s perception of average. Those demanding customers who drive you crazy are the ones that make you and your company stretch. They make you work. They make you break a sweat. They make you better. Easy customers are great, but too many of them can make you lazy and average because meeting their expectations is simple. Ban “expectations” and replace it with “standards of excellence.” And when those demanding customers get easy, find more demanding customers.

  • Banish “indifference”: Indifference is “I don’t care,” and there are pockets of indifference in your company. Find it and get rid of it. Indifference kills excellence. A good place to start your search for indifference is to revisit what your company stands for. What is your company passionate about? What does it fight every day to achieve? If there isn’t much passion, purpose and fight in your company, there’s indifference. It’s all about punching the clock and collecting a paycheck, not building something extraordinary. If you don’t have absolute clarity on where your company is going that inspires and ignites the passion of everyone associated with it - indifference will spread. What are you building? Answer that question with something that exudes excellence.

  • Banish “B” and “C” players: They’re average. They’re content with average. A hard day’s work is almost breaking a sweat. And you hired them. Build a company of “A” players and more “A” players will want to join you. If they don’t want to be “A” players, there are plenty of “B” teams they can play for. It’s time to rock your boat and wake everyone up.

  • Banish “we can’t”: If you believe you can’t, you won’t. If you believe you can, you will. And if you don’t, you’re still further ahead because you learned and tested your abilities. Self-doubt, fear of the unknown, or fear of failure can be your friend or your enemy. Achieving excellence is a test of your resolve and ability to lead through adversity. You can’t achieve excellence if you and your company are not mentally prepared to fight for it. There is no “easy button” to achieve excellence. As Yoda said, “Do or do not - there is no try.”


I’m introducing a new approach to business called “No-Compromise Excellence.” Merging “no compromise” with “excellence” instantly communicates a commitment and a promise to break through the vagueness of “exceed expectations” to deliver experiences, results and outcomes that are extraordinary by design and intent. If you want to learn more, e-mail me at [email protected].

- - - - - - - - -

Please share your thoughts with me about today’s Monday Morning Wake-Up. Click below to comment.

Neil Ducoff, Founder & CEO of Strategies and author of No-Compromise Leadership

Pass this e-mail on to your business colleagues, managers and friends. They’ll appreciate it.

Comments (7)

Everything is very open with a clear description of the issues. It was truly informative. Your website is very helpful. Many thanks for sharing! https://evolution.ORG.Ua/

Posted By: https://evolution.ORG.Ua/•November 12th 2024, 2:12:00 pm

[b][u]Healy company[/u][/b] presents novelty in the world of medical aid - [u][b]Healy wave device[/b][/u], which heals sicknesses at all levels - energy, mental and physical. Based on the creed of quantum physics, using leading knowledge and developments in the field of psychology and physiotherapy. [u][b]Portable home doctor[/b][/u] who painlessly rightly treats and counteracts onset of illnesses - most diverse spectrum, more than 5 thousand, and catalogue is growing. [u][b]Partial list of treatment softwares[/b][/u] - digital su-Jock, digital homeopathy, digital herbal medicine, digital flower therapy, digital health nutrition and diet, i-ging, Schuessler salts, Alaskan gem elixirs, Australian bush flowers, macrobiotics, manual therapy elements, to in -depth meditation and relaxation programs. [url=https://twitter.com/JeffLubenich/status/1594021085481095168?s=20][b]Discover More[/url]

Posted By: RaymondAxoro•June 25th 2023, 1:10:00 am

Впервые с начала операции в украинский порт пришло иностранное торговое судно под погрузку. По словам министра, уже через две недели планируется приползти на уровень по меньшей мере 3-5 судов в сутки. Наша функция – выход на месячный объем перевалки в портах Большой Одессы в 3 млн тонн сельскохозяйственной продукции. По его словам, на сборе в Сочи президенты обсуждали поставки российского газа в Турцию. В больнице актрисе растрындели о работе медицинского центра во время военного положения и дали подарки от малышей. Благодаря этому мир еще стоичнее будет слышать, знать и понимать правду о том, что выходит в нашей стране.

Posted By: RaymondAxoro•March 2nd 2023, 9:41:00 pm

Узнать, какая компания лучше, среди аналогичных в конкретной сфере услуг, сравнение компаний сферы услуг в москве. [url=https://rejtingi-kompanij2.ru/]рейтинги компаний[/url] сравнение услуг - [url=https://rejtingi-kompanij2.ru]http://rejtingi-kompanij2.ru[/url] [url=http://www.thienantech.com/?http://rejtingi-kompanij2.ru]http://google.pl/url?q=http://rejtingi-kompanij2.ru[/url] [url=https://www.galeos.eu/modules/forms/preview.php?t=63f246e976244&idf=1]Cравнение компаний сферы услуг в Москве[/url] 775_cad

Posted By: IrardlRes•February 22nd 2023, 2:57:00 am

https://urozhayniy.com/kakie-meshki-ispolzuyut-dlya-stroitelnogo-musora/

Posted By: MinnieEmalm•January 6th 2023, 2:31:00 pm

Ликвидация изделий из меха соболя и других изделий из меха. Оплата после примерки, шуба из баргузинского соболя сколько стоит. Быстрая и бесплатная доставка по МСК. [url=https://sobolinye-shuby.ru]купить жилет из соболя[/url] купить шубу из соболя в москве - [url=http://www.sobolinye-shuby.ru]https://sobolinye-shuby.ru/[/url] [url=http://www.google.pl/url?q=https://sobolinye-shuby.ru]https://ssylki.info/links.php?link=sobolinye-shuby.ru[/url] [url=https://shcgroup.vn/shcgroup-chung-ta-la-mot-gia-dinh/?comment=6657168#comment]Соболиные шубы с бесплатной доставкой в Москве.[/url] 80c1577

Posted By: SleyneRes•December 13th 2022, 6:03:00 am