In this episode, Niamh discusses the impact of unmanaged expectations at work and how they lead to unnecessary stress and overwork. She shares practical tips on how to manage expectations effectively to protect your well-being, improve work quality, and build trust with colleagues.
00:00 Introduction to Managing Expectations at Work
01:26 What Does Managing Expectations Mean?
02:50 Understanding Expectations in the Workplace
03:58 Strategies for Managing Expectations Effectively
05:53 The Importance of Managing Expectations as a Manager
06:26 How to Manage Expectations This Week
07:23 New Chapter
It's a common complaint in the workplace: meetings that feel like a waste of time and could have easily been an email. Niamh highlights that this is a common issue, pointing to the Better Workday index which shows that 70% of employees meet deadlines, but 60% are working over 40 hours a week. This suggests that people are getting their work done, but at a cost, possibly due to unclear expectations or a feeling that they need to over-deliver because they don't know what "good enough" looks like. Managing expectations means everyone has a clear and realistic understanding of what will be delivered, when, and to what standard. When expectations are clear, work flows smoothly, but when they are vague or unrealistic, stress and unnecessary overtime can kick in.
Niamh outlines three ways expectations show up at work. The first is "meeting expectations," which she considers the ideal zone for most tasks, where you deliver exactly what is needed—no more, no less. The second is "exceeding expectations," which should be done strategically and intentionally, not on every single task, to avoid setting an unsustainable standard for yourself. The third is "unrealistic expectations," what Niamh calls the "burnout zone". This is when expectations are beyond what's possible given your time, budget, or resources, and it's essential to push back and reset them to prevent burnout. Niamh provides four key skills to get better at managing expectations: understanding the task, assessing your workload, communicating regularly, and leaving space for the unexpected.
Understand the Task: Get clear on deadlines, priorities, and available resources before you start.
Assess Your Workload: Realistically evaluate your capacity and decide on the level of effort to give.
Communicate Regularly: Keep stakeholders informed to prevent surprises and manage expectations proactively.
Align with Others: Before starting a task, align on what success looks like to the other person by asking clarifying questions and summarising what you've heard.
Meeting vs. Exceeding Expectations: Aim to meet expectations for most tasks, and be strategic about when to put in extra effort.
Avoid the Burnout Zone: Unrealistic expectations lead to burnout, so it's important to push back and reset them.
Ask More Questions: Clarify details like deadlines and priorities before you begin a task instead of making assumptions.
Manage Your Own Expectations: Consider your energy levels, attention, and work-life balance when taking on new work.
Build Trust through Communication: When you communicate clearly and deliver what you say you will, you build trust and make working with others much easier.
Blog on Managing Expectations at Work
Episode 41 - How to Say No at Work
Welcome to The Better Workday Podcast with your host, Niamh Moynihan. Niamh is the founder of Better Workday. She will challenge you to think differently about how you manage your time, energy, attention and relationships at work to be successful while supporting your well-being.
In each episode Niamh shares new insights and practical ideas to help you create a better workday.
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