In every part of life, there are ways to exceed expectations. Whether those expectations are held by yourself or others, you can always do more. By pushing yourself further and harder, you’ll pass what you expect of yourself and test the limits of your capabilities. Stretching those boundaries and going above what others anticipate will benefit your life significantly.
Business Expectations
In most industries, you’ll face expectations from your leaders, your teammates, and your customers. Sure, it’s okay to just do the work that’s assigned to you, but do you really want to be known for doing the bare minimum? Instead of doing what’s required, consider asking what more you can do to help.
Team Members
Ask your team members if they need help with what they’ve been assigned. Doing this will give you the opportunity to learn a little bit about their role. It’ll also strengthen your relationship with them and make them more likely to help you when you’re in a bind. Be a leader to those teammates who might be struggling. Find out where they’re getting stuck and help them push through it.
- Encourage someone when they’re having trouble achieving a goal.
- Support someone if you see they’re having a hard day (or week).
- Take on some of their load if someone’s feeling overwhelmed.
- Bring a coffee to the coworker whose daydreaming turns into real dreaming.
Assisting your team in achieving is a win-win situation! Helping others accomplish what they’re having trouble with feels great and boosts team morale.
Leaders
If your teammates don’t need your help at the moment and are comfortable with where they’re at in work, ask your leaders if there’s any way you can assist them. They’ll be impressed with your initiative and possibly teach you something new about the industry. If you have an event coming up soon, volunteer to be an usher or extra security for the venue. Or you can even stand at the doors and pass out waters.
Going further than your required tasks demonstrates that you’re willing to work more and that you’re a versatile member of the team. It also shows that you’re thinking about the organization in a larger scope, beyond your role.
Customers
As a business owner, taking care of your customers should be one of your top priorities in business: They’re the ones who keep you working! Being able to meet their expectations (and hopefully surpass them) is a highly valuable skill, so keep your customer service techniques sharpened! Listen closely to each customer’s …
- Needs
- Concerns
- Problems
- Praise
- Feedback
- Questions
Cater to them! Impress your clients repeatedly. Pay attention to what’s going on in their lives and see if any of your products or services can help them. For example, if you say “I noticed you have a pretty harsh cough; I hope you’re feeling okay. We have a cough drop that helped me through a brutal cold last week.” They’ll appreciate the sentiment. They may even consider checking out your product.
Self-Expectations
While you’re focusing on being the best teammate, don’t forget to set your personal expectations, too. Expect the most of yourself in the following categories:
Health
The great thing about setting expectations for yourself is you know when you could’ve tried harder. Putting your mental and physical health on this list is vital (no pun intended). Eat a healthy diet, get regular exercise, and take the time to do what relieves your stress and boosts your mood. If you’re not taking care of yourself, you’re not able to perform to the best of your abilities.
Accomplishments
Expect the best of yourself in everything you wish to accomplish. If you do this, and fail, at least you know you gave it your all. And if you start working toward a goal with high expectations for yourself, accomplishing that goal will boost your self-confidence immensely, because you’ll know your limits were tested. When you finally achieve your goal, make the next one more difficult!
Relationships
Even the best relationships benefit from an extra ounce of attention. If you feel too tired to put in more effort, remind yourself of how much you value the relationship, and you’ll find that energy. When a friend or family member keeps calling you and you’re not in the mood to talk, pick up the phone anyway. Be there for them over and over again. You never know if they really need you or have important news. Don’t treat any of your relationships like an inconvenience. Having people in your life is a gift.
Expect Change
As you start to raise your self-expectations, you’ll surpass the expectations that others put on you. You’ll unlock your potential in business, health, relationships, and life! Go out and expect great changes to happen for you, and because of you.
