“Culture is the worst behavior you tolerate” is a common saying about organizational culture. This stems from the idea that allowing unproductive or toxic conduct sends a passive message those actions are acceptable, slowly eroding standards over time. But what if culture was defined not by our tolerance for poor conduct, but by the positive expectations we set and enable?
The Limitations of Tolerating Toxicity
The “worst behavior tolerated” maxim contains truth - tolerating destructive actions, mediocrity or poor performance can breed resentment, apathy and a race to the bottom. But it also has limitations:
It’s inherently reactive, requiring something egregiously bad to happen first before responding, which rewards silence until serious damage is done.
It begs the question of who decides precisely what behavior is considered the nebulous “worst” and how it is addressed. Zero tolerance policies often lack nuance, even when well-intentioned.
It assumes people will only aim for the minimum acceptable standard or lowest bar, rather than needing clearly articulated expectations coupled with support to reach them.
It offers no positive vision or principles, simply avoidance of a theoretical bottom.
Organizations stagnate when the emphasis is on cracking down on the negative rather than inspiring movement toward a positive ideal.
The Power of Proactive Positive Expectations
What if culture is fundamentally the best we choose to expect from people and enable them to become? Some implications of this approach:
You demonstrate initial trust in people’s capabilities and good intentions unless shown otherwise over time.
You provide active support and resources to reach ambitious expectations through hands-on coaching, training, and removing roadblocks.
You offer frequent positive reinforcement for progress made, combined with kind redirection when needed.
You intentionally focus on nurturing latent talents, not just punishing shortcomings.
You consciously shape culture proactively by modeling desired mindsets and behaviors daily.
With clarity, compassion, and commitment, positive expectations become self-fulfilling prophecies. People inherently seek to rise to meet what’s boldly asked of them.
Tactics to Raise Expectations and Unlock Potential
Here are some practical tactics to expect, inspire and enable excellence:
Articulate a compelling vision, mission and purpose. Ensure people see how their role contributes to achieving something meaningful.
Invest in professional development and coaching. Actively grow your team’s skills and abilities rather than expecting capabilities to spring forth on their own.
Recognize contributions and celebrate forward progress, both large and small. Genuine appreciation fuels motivation and engagement.
Be exceptionally clear, consistent and transparent around performance standards, priorities and expectations.
Promptly address issues in real-time through thoughtful crucial conversations. Don’t avoid or delay delivering caring feedback.
Remain intensely curious about the root causes and mindsets potentially driving behaviors before judging. Seek to deeply understand, not just react.
You tend to get precisely what you expect, inspect and enable. So find ways to help your team reach incredible new heights together. Leadership is believing we all have wings before seeing evidence we can fly. With care and courage, you'll be amazed at how high your people soar.
Need support optimizing your culture and unlocking potential? As an executive coach I specialize in organizational development, communication excellence and empowering leaders to inspire greatness. Please don't hesitate to reach out if you'd like to explore how we could collaborate. You already have everything you need to change your world.