It’s another Magnificent Monday…and Columbus Day here in the U.S.!
You have been blessed to see the start of another glorious week. The slate has been wiped clean (of the good and bad). You have another opportunity to BE MORE and DO BETTER. This week can be your best week ever! Remember, success is just a string of successful weeks tied together.
Here’s a quote that is particularly insightful and motivating:
No one ever attains very eminent success by simply doing what is required of him; it is the amount and excellence of what is over and above the required that determines the greatness of ultimate distinction
~Charles Kendall Adams
THIS WEEK’S TIP: Exceed Expectations
One of the first pieces of advice I received from my first business coach many years ago was to always exceed expectations…under promise and over deliver. This lesson has stuck with me. So, years ago when a colleague was complaining that he did not receive as high of a year-end bonus as he wasexpecting, I knew the real answer. I knew this person had barely met our billable hour requirement and did little beyond what was specifically asked of us as junior associates at the firm. That’s why I was surprised that he received a bonus of any amount. I remember thinking to myself, “He did what he agreed to do and the firm paid him what they agreed to pay him.” His expectations of receiving more without really doing more were, in my opinion, unjustified.
Therein lies a game- and life-changing lesson: you can meet or exceed requirements, but still fail to meet expectations. How is that possible? There is a huge difference between requirements and expectations. Requirements (i.e., politically correct factors) are usually stated. Expectations (factors that are either not politically correct and/or you should be savvy enough to know without being told) are usually not stated. Those who evaluate their performance based solely on stated requirements, as did my colleague, are unlikely to get all they want from their career, business or significant relationships.
How do you determine true expectations if they are not stated? I have found it extremely valuable to take a quality moment and imagine myself in that person’s place. I then fully and meaningfully answer this question: “What would I really want from someone like me if I were in that person’s place?” I make a list of everything that comes to mind. If I choose to accept that assignment or take on that client, that list becomes the standard against which I measure my performance.
The habit of exceeding expectations has catapulted my career, solidified important relationships and made me boat loads of money. I believe it could do the same for you!
THIS WEEK’S AFFIRMATION:In all of my dealings, I consciously assess expectations and then diligently work to exceed them.
Until next Monday, expect the best FROM and FOR yourself!
Profitably yours,
Sherrin Ross Ingram
America’s Leading Power Strategist
http://www.sherrin.com
What are your thoughts about this Magnificent Monday Motivation Moment? I would love to know! Send your comments to me at sherrin@sherrin.com, mention it on Twitter with @SherrinIngram in your tweet, or post it on my Facebook wall at http://www.facebook.com/sherriningram.
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