Coach's Corner: Great Expectations

By Hardin Byars, executive coach with HTG Peer Groups

Dear Coach: I struggle with some people on my team not living up to expectations. It’s as if they are not even listening. I’m really getting tired of this and ready to clear the decks and start over. Am I being too hasty?

I can certainly understand why you’re ready to start over. People not living up to expectations is exhausting and frustrating. That said, have you ever heard the maxim: unrealistic expectations are really premeditated resentments?

Practically speaking, when our expectations go consistently unmet, we can become embittered and cynical that the person even cares about following through. When we have unrealistic expectations of another person we are setting the relationship up for failure.