Supporting People to Fulfill High Expectations

Cathie Leimbach • February 7, 2022

Believing the best of people usually brings out the best in people. When you tell people what you expect, you believe in their capacity to meet your expectations, and they feel valued, they will be motivated to fulfill high expectations. But, when people don’t know what you expect from them, don’t know if they are on track, and don’t have your support to do their job well, don’t be surprised by underperformance.   


If you want your team members to achieve more, here are 3 ways that you can support them towards fulfilling high expectations.


1.      Co-Create Goals

Rather than simply telling your people what you expect them to accomplish, review with them the organization’s mission, values, and goals; discuss why their role is valuable; and invite their ideas about what they could contribute towards fulfilling the company’s goals. Explore how their preferences can be aligned with the company’s needs and together develop meaningful goals. Your belief in their ability to add value at work encourages them to put their best foot forward. They are more likely to buy-in and achieve such co-created goals.   

 

2.      Be Clear on the Quality, Quantity, and Timeline for Achieving the Goals

Ensure the Co-Created Goals are clear. Doing better this year can be achieved by a 1% increase in sales but you might be expecting a 10% gain. As well as being clear about the quantity of results you expect, be specific about the quality required. State the measurable outcome you expect each day or month, and reinforce your expectation by monitoring performance. 

   

3.      Provide Frequent Feedback and Support

Setting high expectations, yet not acknowledging when they are achieved, demotivates your employees. If it is not important enough for you to praise their work, then their work must not really matter. When you find that the goals haven’t been met, talk with your employees to discover what prevented them from meeting your expectations and support them in overcoming these obstacles. When you demonstrate that the goals really matter and you believe they have the potential to meet your expectations, people will rise to the occasion.  Weekly manager-employee one-on-ones provide regular opportunities for the manager to lift their people up with praise and encouragement and for the employee to ask for guidance.

 

When managers have high expectations for their team members, believe in their capacity to contribute, and support them in overcoming hurdles along the way, their employees will be empowered to fulfill those expectations. Individuals, managers, and organizations win when managers engage their employees and support them to achieving meaningful goals.

What If Your Biggest Performance Problem Isn’t What You Think?

By Cathie Leimbach • May 5, 2026
What If Your Biggest Performance Problem Isn’t What You Think? When CEOs think about risk, they often focus on: Market shifts Operational issues Financial exposure But one of the biggest performance problems is far less visible: Low trust inside the organization. Nearly 30% of employees say they don’t receive clear, honest, or consistent communication from leadership. Over time, that creates doubt—about expectations, personal performance, and priorities. Employees begin to feel that their job is at risk because they aren’t getting any positive feedback. They question whether they have the tools, training, and support needed to do their jobs well. When they only hear about changes at work through the rumor mill, they feel information is being held back. And when that happens: Alignment drops Speed slows Assumptions increase Execution fractures “Trust is the glue of life. It’s the most essential ingredient in effective communication. It’s the foundational principle that holds all relationships.” — Stephen R. Covey Trust isn’t soft. It’s a leading indicator of performance. When trust is strong: Decisions move faster Teams align quicker Change sticks When trust is weak: Everything takes longer Everything costs more And here’s the reality : Trust-building conversations are not a common leadership strength today. Yet leaders like Ken Blanchard, Stephen M.R. Covey, and David Horsager all point to the same conclusion—these are not optional skills. They are required for performance in today’s environment. Which means trust gaps are rarely about effort. They’re about conversation skills. A question to consider: Where might low-trust leadership behaviors—not lack of effort—be quietly slowing your organization down? Join Cathie Leimbach and a small group of leaders for a 45-minute Leadership Conversation – Workforce Challenges on Tuesday, May 12 at 3:00 PM ET. If trust is impacting speed, alignment , or execution in your organization, this conversation is for you. Register here Limited to a small group.

The Culture Problem Most Leaders Don’t See—Until It Shows Up in Results

By Cathie Leimbach • April 28, 2026
Most CEOs don’t wake up worrying about culture. They’re focused on growth, margins, execution. But culture quietly determines all three. Because when people feel disconnected, something subtle happens: Execution slows Ownership drops Problems surface later—and cost more Nearly a third of employees describe their workplace as isolated or impersonal. That’s not just a morale issue. That’s an execution risk . And employees don’t “love” a company because of perks. They stay committed when they feel valued. When that’s missing: Effort becomes transactional Communication becomes minimal Discretionary effort disappears The data is clear—when employees feel valued: Attendance improves Conflict decreases Productivity rises This is where many organizations misfire. They try to fix culture with initiatives. But culture is shaped in daily leadership interactions —not programs. And most leaders haven’t been trained to have regular meaningful conversations. They have been promoted to people leadership positions yet not prepared for their new roles. When untrained leaders don’t get topnotch results, it’s not due to a gap in effort or potential. It’s due to a current gap in ability. What can you do about it? Where might your workplace culture be quietly affecting execution—even if performance still “looks okay”? 👉 Join our next 45-minute Leadership Conversation— Workforce Challenges . We’ll explore how culture impacts performance—and what leaders can actually do about it.