Don’t Gaslight Yourself: Lower Expectation Gaps

In a bid to follow the article's title, this is going to be one of the shortest newsletters put out between article length and pushing publish. #lowerthegap

I speak a lot about career concepts and how to accelerate your career in early to mid-stages. Today’s topic is something I talk about but have yet to articulate. I’m now going to do this. By stating that a key way to create positive true-to-you momentum is to hone the skill of being able to assess a situation pretty quickly. And then taking appropriate action.

To take us back a few weeks ago, the needle pointing was clear enough. The results should not have been surprising to so many of us who have lived and worked through many 4-year cycles. And yet, it was. And for that we do have to allow full expression of the appropriate emotions. Thereafter, we reassess.

Same goes for work. We enter into any organization with an intent and goal to contribute. But, a change of person, pace and placement in the values orientation of the new persons comes with its own luggage. Of observable data around beliefs, values, and embraced cultures. If we were working before this change based on an expectation that the organization was solid enough to withstand the winds of change, then we must of necessity lower that expectation gap if we want to continue working in the same environment. What we must not do is disbelieve the information provided to us in the form of a new organizational culture being subsequently enacted.

I was speaking to a new friend recently and they said, "You Org Psych people are always going on about employee experience and organizations needing to be employee centric but I don't quite think that organizations need that to succeed." I responded saying, "It might surprise you to know that I agree with you. I only think organizations should stop saying they want to be all things to all people. If most mission and vision statement sound the same, and every culture is both great and team oriented, then why are here still serious workplace issues? Instead, it appears people are sold one thing which is then exchanged for something different in the lived work experience. That expectation gap can many times lead to relative deprivation and that can show up as job dissatisfaction.

“Don’t Just Tell me. Show me”

Organizations: Tell and show the employee what you value and believe and it should then be their responsibility to come in and align themselves with those and not expect you to change for them.

Employee: Managing job, role, team and leader expectations is part of the work of career acceleration, in the sense that when you know who you’re working with and where (and why) you’re doing the work, it makes showing up day after day a an expectation worth having and living up to.

How are you going to manage expectations or reduce expectation gaps this season?

About the Career Acceleration Precepts (CAP) newsletter:

A monthly LinkedIn newsletter designed to provide early to mid-career pharmacy and healthcare professionals with tools and ideas for advancing their careers. CAP is curated by Dr Otito Iwuchukwu, CPTD, organizational psychologist, pharmacist-scientist, author, consultant, and career strategist. As a certified professional in talent development and career advocate for multi-passionate healthcare professionals, Dr Iwuchukwu helps individuals, put their gifts and strengths to use in and out of work.