expectation from expectations....

Have we ever thought how much degree of expectation is a reasonable one? How much to expect from expectations? The maxim of today’s world is “don’t expect and live free”. Even then we are recording the highest attrition at work place and divorces in personal life..

Why does an employee leave a job? Is it only a better opportunity of is it a mismatch in expectations. Why isn’t there a maxim like, “don’t deliver and live free”. Now lets imagine if these both were to be true, what our life would be?

An employee would work, but not expect the salary and as he is not expecting anything he would not deliver. How long would this system work. This is a delirious situation in professional as well as personal life. Think of a situation when a husband would say I believe in not expecting anything out of me and the wife would say I believe in not delivering. Can any institution work like this? Be it house or organization, they are fated to fall.

So, we learn that expectations are important to keep the world going. This world runs on give and take, or let me put it in a  sophisticated way, “reciprocation”. This is the only constant thing since the barter system in the olden times. The forms of reciprocation have changed but it has not faded. With reciprocation comes expectation. 

An employee works for money because that is what he wants at that point of time and the organizations wants progress and work to be done from the employee at that point of time. Now what would happen if the organization only gives work to the employee and no money, and employee takes only money and does not deliver? There is an expectation gap. This leads to the attrition. It looks very simple but the results are dangerous. One employee leaving the organization means giving rise to the cost of recruiting and training the new one and also risk of losing your secrets to the other organization through the employee who resigned.

In my opinion the cause of all the problems is expectation gap and solution coming to my mind is very simple. Try and deliver according to other persons expectations. Looks simple; but believe me great people and organizations fail in it. If an employee is expecting a pay rise and you reward him a promotion then there is an expectation gap. Similarly, organization wants the employee to take more responsibilities and he talks of over time or shuns from it; then there is a certain expectation gap. 

 

Even in domestic situation this happens, let us take for an example, there are two friends,John and Ross. John helps Ross with money when he needed it. Now let us look at it from Ross’s angle. How should Ross meet John’s expectation as a friend? Would he expect him to also help him monetarily? The probable answer is No; because we render help in the areas where we are over flooded. If John is providing monetary help to Ross then it means that he has enough with him that he can give. So for Ross to settle the expectation bridge, he has to find what John needs and then help him in that. That’s true Expectation Management.

Hence, let’s remember the problem starts when we are delivered the same thing what we had once shared. The simple reason we gave was that we could give. We always expect what we lack.

If all of us remember in our mind to deliver the way other person wants; then I am sure this carefree virus in the atmosphere would end and we would have responsible relationships both at workplace and personal life.

So my friends don't be affraid of other person's expectations, just try and deliver as per other person's expectations and you also shall get what you expect, the way you expect. This is the essense of a true relationship.