Expectation Management: the art of under-promising and over-delivering to maximize career success

Summary

In today's Leader School video, the focus is on expectation management, a vital skill for career advancement. It advises underpromising to leaders to set realistic goals and overdelivering to exceed expectations. This approach not only impresses leaders but also provides flexibility to handle unforeseen issues. The video emphasizes that consistent delivery is crucial; without it, the strategy falls flat. Effective expectation management can lead to career growth and promotions, setting you apart from overselling peers.

Takeaways

• 🎓 Expectation management is a crucial skill for career success.
• 🤝 It involves persuading others to have realistic expectations of your performance.
• 👨‍💼 In a professional setting, aim to set expectations below what you can achieve.
• 🚀 By under-promising, you create room to exceed expectations and impress your leaders.
• 💪 Giving an answer that is below your confidence level allows flexibility to go the extra mile.
• 🛠️ If problems arise, managing expectations gives you space to address them effectively.
• 🏆 Over-delivering consistently builds trust and value with your leaders.
• 🚫 Setting high expectations without delivering can damage your reputation.
• ⏳ Underselling and over-delivering is beneficial for both you and your leaders.
• 🔨 Consistent delivery of quality work is essential to effectively manage expectations.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the video from Leader School?

The main topic of the video is expectation management, a technique that is crucial for career advancement.

How does the video define expectation management?

Expectation management is defined as the art of persuading others to be realistic about the results they are looking for.

What is the recommended strategy for managing expectations in a professional context?

The recommended strategy is to persuade your leader to expect results that are below what you know you can produce.

Why should one consider their confident deliverables before setting expectations?

Considering your confident deliverables ensures that you set a realistic expectation that is still acceptable, allowing for flexibility and the potential to exceed expectations.

What are the potential benefits of under-promising and over-delivering?

Benefits include surprising leaders with better results, having more breathing room to perform, and creating a buffer for unforeseen problems.

What is the downside of setting highly ambitious expectations without delivering?

The downside is that it can make you appear incompetent and unreliable, which can harm your professional reputation.

How does over-delivering impact a leader's perspective of an employee?

Over-delivering makes a leader's job easier by providing more time and resources to accomplish goals, leading to the employee being valued and potentially positioned for career advancement.

What is the most important aspect of the underselling and over-delivering strategy?

The most important aspect is the actual delivery of quality work, as consistent results are necessary to back up the strategy.

What should one do if they cannot consistently produce results?

If consistent results cannot be produced, one should manage expectations realistically to avoid setting up for failure and to maintain credibility.

How does effective expectation management position someone for career advancement?

Effective expectation management sets one far above overselling counterparts by consistently meeting or exceeding expectations, which can lead to promotions and career growth.

What is the call to action for viewers who found the video valuable?

The call to action is to like the video, leave a comment, and subscribe to receive future installments from Leader School.