Do you always think what your boss thinks of you and your performance? Do you strive to make your boss happy and get that great review and the promotion this year? Do you perform based on how your boss think you perform? Does your performance depend upon how your boss grades you? If your boss thinks you’re awesome, will that make you more awesome?
If you are a boss, do you set your team for success? Do make your team perform better? If not, can you make your team perform better ?
Lets see what research tells us
In this HBR article by Jack Zenger and Joseph Folkman, it is inferred based on research study that leaders who see the best in their team actually make them better. There is a psychological effect and emotionally component on how you behave and how others perceive you do.
According to the study, the teams whose boss perceives them more positively felt optimistic, more confident, encouraged and were ready for giving in more.
And the teams whose boss underrates them felt less valued, less trusted, in doubt, discourage and thought it is impossible to succeed.
Positive rating managers had more engaged employees. Negative rating managers had lower levels of engagement from their team.
It should also be noted that high grading managers had high expectations. They made their team believe that they have confidence in them to meet these expectations – and this is what makes a big difference.
Pygmalion Effect
Social psychologist Robert Rosenthal puts it as ” that what one person expects of another can come to serve as a self-fulfilling prophecy”. Research conducted since Rosenthal and Jacobson’s original study has determined that the Pygmalion effect applies to all kinds of settings, from sports teams to the military to the corporate workplace.
They have found that higher expectations lead teachers or other authority figures to act differently in regard to the learner in 4 specific ways.
Rule of Expectations
The Rule of expectations says that individuals make decisions based on how others expect them to perform. People rise to meet the expectations of them. Teachers expectations influences students, parents expectations influences children. Read more here on the rule of expectations and its impacts.
Set-Up-To-Fail syndrome
Jean-François Manzoni and Jean-Louis Barsoux, in this HBR article, discuss the “Set-Up-To-Fail”syndrome. Based on two studies designed to better understand the relationship between leadership style and subordinate performance, it is said that often times the employee’s poor performance is a direct result of the boss’s leadership style and set-up-to-fail syndrome.
What is “Set-Up-To-Fail“ syndrome?
As the name implies it is setting up others to fail and this is how it works – this triggers when the boss thinks that the employees performance does not meet his expectations and is not up to the par – which could be because of a missed deadline or incompatibility between the boss and subordinate , different values , social characteristics and such.
The boss then thinks that he needs to help his subordinate perform better and hence focuses more. He attends to more in detail on each step of the employee’s job, with the intention of making sure he does not fail at any. The employee in turn perceives this as his boss not trusting him enough and eventually loses confidence & motivation in doing his tasks.
The boss sees this withdrawal from the employee as a proof for his belief that he is indeed a poor performer. The boss thinks that he need to be even more focused and attentive and increases supervision. The employee loses all the motivation leading to poorer performance overall.
A great leader is the one who knows when to take control and when to give control.
Read more for the 7 differences between a leader and a control freak.
How can you use this information?
- If you are a boss, set up positive team expectations, show them your trust and confide in their abilities. Your team will rise up to your expectations.
- If you are a team member , trying to impress your boss with your performance, gain his confidence so that he can give your more and more responsibilities to grow. Be proactive and show him what you are capable of and what is potential is. Help him help you get the success you want.
Several studies with over hunders of leaders in diverse environments have indeed shown expectations have a real impact. If your boss things your are awesome, you will become awesome.