Earlier I mentioned about being short of the boss’ expectations, which I feel is prevalent in most corporations today. It seems ironic that when society in general becomes more advanced, the more pressured it is in some of our expectations.
You would have thought that bosses today would be more exposed to better schools of thinking in management aspects but the reality is that most bosses are unrealistic in their expectations. It is agreed that the right amount of expectation and pressure can be a positive influence and help to challenge and motivate to the best. Unfortunately, most bosses don’t know what exactly is the right amount, thus just pile it on and expect the right results to come.
Psychological affects of unrealistic expectations include:
- Stress
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Guilt
- Low self-esteem.
I can’t emphasize enough about the need for balance in work and in life. As leaders, it is up to us to find the right balance of pressure and expectation to be given to our staff. You can’t just pile it on till it hurts before making adjustments; it’ll be too late by then, the damage would have been done.
If our bosses set unrealistic expectations for us, we have to choose the right opportunity to voice our concerns on the matter. Keeping quiet and letting it be would not solve the problem, unless you want to live with the pressure. At the right place and at the right time, we need to make it known to our bosses of this unhealthy practise.
The world is changing, and the way we do our work would need to change too. We must dare to be heard, dare to be angry and dare to take action to rectify the situation. Fortune favors the bold and in this ever changing world, I believe this would be true. Look at it this way: if the bosses won’t change, then they’ll have to pay the price by being changed involuntarily. Sooner or later, it will happen. A form of retribution, perhaps? Maybe, just maybe…
The Coolbert Principle 