Expectation

The journey keeps moving forward, that is the expectation regarding these chronicles.

Once I have decided to write these chronicles, it was not a question to show, to sell something, to become a writer, 'sell myself' from professional point of view and looking for career change or progression, or even looking for visibility and trophies. For those who know me, like the title of this edition of the chronicles, the expectation they have about me is clear!

And simply to add that, besides a purpose, it's a matter of sharing experiences, thoughts and reflections. And if I can leave my mark on each one who reads these chronicles, it makes me happy!

The expectation is generated during any process, and it can be a sales process, a career development, a project development, a recruiting process, it can be on each step or just at the end of it. All involved generate expectations towards each other.

Looking at the recruiting process, when you get to the point when the company decide to make an offer to a candidate, and an expectation is generated! This is really the perfect match for the role we are looking for; with this candidate we can achieve great things; it's some one with great potential and is not just to fulfill the current needs but also can fulfill future ones. Great plans are generated! Then comes the side of the candidate, great to be selected for this role and in this company! It's a great opportunity, it's a great improvement in my career, there is margin to progress and together we can achieve great things!

At the end it's like a closed letter, each side has done for sure correct and possible evaluation during the several steps, the recommendations from both sides were great. It was generated great expectations but after some time it's possible to find out that the expectations were wrong and achieves a point of being a deception, which can be painful! But it's not the end, it must be part of the all learning process that should lead to an healing one.

Now if we go through the sales process, the story about expectation is not that different. If the expectation generated is not achieved it may have as consequence to loose that customer. So it's really important to offer the right expectations to the customer! If you want long term business, the expectation should be always placed in the right spot, and if can be overachieved even better! It's like saying that the delivery time is in one week, even if you are confident to deliver quicker, you navigate in a safe area and more than achieve the customer expectation, if it's delivered in 3 days you are overachieving that expectation.

It may come, specially if we are reflecting about the sales process or any other type of project, that you offer the right expectation, or the possible one by your organization. But then the customer may challenge you to improve something in your project or offer that may be out of the scope to achieve? If you go to previous editions of these chronicles which talk about the courage and mindset, you may find the answer, which the reply it's clear! Challenge accepted!

The challenge was accepted, so now it comes the several steps needed to make it happen. It can be a risk, since at first sight some of the people involved may be not willing to accept it, which it's up with you to lead it, and influence others to go ahead. Once again, going to other editions of the chronicles, it's as always a subject of negotiation! And like you sell it to the customer it may be required that you sell also to your organization.

This negotiation can be harder or not, but if you find among people who has an enterprise attitude, where each one feels he is like being its own company that contributes and generates value, it can be easier. On the other side if you find with some one, that feels he has the power to block it, or just works to have visibility inside the organization and his participation is not on his scope, even if is part of his job! Or simply is not willing to give a reply! It can be very hard and may raise some deception, since you don't meet the expectation. But you should have the courage to take it, the attitude to embrace it and the expertise to negotiate it!

It can happen also that some steps regarding the process are not clear enough, it can be something quite new and there is not enough knowledge that makes the process clear. Well, that should be part of the all preparation, and once again connecting to another edition of the chronicles, preparation!

At the end it's really important to have clearness about it in order to generate the right expectation. If the correct expectation is achieved on each step of the project or at the end of it, everybody feels happy and trust is generated to achieve long term business or relation, after all this can generate, at another level a safety feeling. No one desires to ride in an uncertain way!

To end it, I go to my mechanical engineering background, where a quality product is defined as a product that fulfills customer expectation and may overachieve it! That is pure expectation regarding product and may be used for a service, project, career and life!

Thanks and until the next edition!

Notes

Photo by Jan Tinneberg on Unsplash