“High expectations are the key to everything.”
– Sam Walton
Sorry, Sam. Not buying it.
CLEAR expectations (not the kind in this clip from Dumb and Dumber!) are the key to everything. Not everyone aspires to high expectations, but everyone has expectations.
Unless we know and understand what the person across the table from us expects, we can’t have very high expectations of success.
How do we find out?
Yesterday, we talked about preparation. That’s a good start.
In order to know another person’s expectations, we have to ask them. We have to listen to them. We have to validate, by making sure we establish a shared understanding — confirming each other’s intent.
Intent matters more than content. If our intent honors their expectations, the outcome is more likely to make a difference.
Leave a Reply