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.

"Produce More" Isn't a Goal

By Cathie Leimbach • November 10, 2026
For the tenth day in a row, production missed its target. Barry, the production manager, was frustrated and worried. Customer orders were piling up, inventory was running low, and he had no idea how to get things back on track. Even the VP of Manufacturing and HR had no helpful answers. Meanwhile, Joe, one of the line supervisors, couldn't understand why Barry was so upset. He'd heard through the grapevine that sales were down. So why was producing less such a big deal? Barry was baffled. He'd told his supervisors to increase production. Why weren't they pushing their teams harder? He pulled up the AI summary from Monday's "What's Up This Week" meeting. There it was. He'd asked the supervisors to produce more than last week because a large customer order had to ship the following Monday. But had he made his expectations clear? Barry thought he'd given a goal. Joe thought he'd heard a suggestion. Neither knew they weren't on the same page. Sound familiar? When expectations are fuzzy, even good employees miss the mark. The result: frustrated managers, confused employees, missed targets, and disappointed customers. LEADERSHIP TIPS: THREE STEPS TO STRONGER PERFORMANCE 1. Make expectations crystal clear. Explain what needs to be done, by when, and why it matters. Instead of saying "produce more," Barry could have said, "We need 200 additional widgets by Friday to fill a 500-widget customer order that ships Monday." Then he could have asked each supervisor what their line could realistically produce and what support they needed. A two-way conversation builds clarity and commitment. 2. Monitor progress daily. Don't wait until Friday to discover the team is behind. Review production results with supervisors every day. Compare actual output with the weekly goal, and recognize progress along the way. Ask, "Are we on track? What might keep us from reaching our target?" 3. Take corrective action before shortfalls grow. When production falls behind, don't just demand better results. Start a conversation. Ask, "What's getting in the way? How can we catch up? What help do you need from me?" Then work out a plan together, agree on who's doing what, and follow up to make sure it happens. Strong performance doesn't come from pushing people harder. It comes from clear expectations, regular monitoring, and shared accountability. When leaders explain what matters, listen to their people, and help remove roadblocks, employees are better equipped and more motivated to deliver. Conversation is Where Leadership Happens™ Say what matters. Ask what's in the way. Agree on next steps. Missed targets, fuzzy expectations, or a talk you keep postponing? Bring it to the Workplace Conversations Clinic on November 16. We'll discuss how to have that conversation with kindness and clarity. Register Here

Be Kind to Your Team AND Hold Them Accountable

By Cathie Leimbach • November 3, 2026
Tammy was furious. For the third day in a row, the hydraulic hose assembly line was falling behind. How could they keep customers happy when production was this slow? The target was 50 hoses per hour, with at least 98% meeting quality standards. Yet, after two hours, Tom's team had produced only 65 hoses, and six had failed inspection. Tammy marched over to Tom, the line supervisor. “This is unacceptable! You know our targets. Get your people moving!” She stormed off, frustrated and worried about falling further behind. Tom felt embarrassed and discouraged. He told his team to work faster. An hour later, production was still behind, and more hoses had failed inspection. Leadership Tip – Correct Kindly, Solve Problems Together Corrective action doesn't need to be harsh. A calm, respectful conversation can improve both performance and trust. Clarify the gap. Remind the employee of the agreed expectation and describe what you've observed. “Tom, our target is 50 hoses per hour, with 98% meeting standards. Your team produced 65 in two hours, and six failed inspection.” Explore causes and solutions together. Ask, “What's getting in the way?” Listen carefully. Perhaps a crimping machine needs adjustment or a new employee needs coaching. Ask, “What could we do differently? How can I help?” Agree on next steps. Ask Tom to summarize what he'll do. State what you'll do to support him. Agree on when you'll review progress. Bottom Line Kindness doesn't mean lowering expectations. It means helping people meet them. Conversation is Where Leadership Happens™ Be kind. Be clear. Hold people accountable. Have a conversation you’ve been putting off because you don’t want to sound harsh—or let the issue slide? Bring it to the Workplace Conversations Clinic on November 16 to discuss addressing the problem with kindness, setting clear expectations, and agreeing on next steps. Reserve your spot for the November 16 Workplace Conversations Clinic → HERE