Every leader occasionally has unrealistic expectations, regardless of whether your manager is a front-line supervisor or the CEO. But some bosses are unrealistic most of the time. Instead of considering the people and events in the current organization, they frequently refer to their past experiences at other companies. They may also report to someone who is even more aggressive or overly optimistic than they are.
Working for one of these people can make you feel as though you are being set up to fail. Defying a superior can be risky, and even arguing your case can make you feel uneasy. There can be a lot of pressure to comply with every request, even though you may have pertinent information or experience that disputes the accuracy of your boss’s instructions.
Manage your body to manage yourself. If your boss’s demands have you in a fight-flight-freeze state, calm down first so you can collect your thoughts and take sensible, suitable action. Through “sensorimotor” or grounding interventions that bring the overly reactive mind back to the body, one of the best ways to calm your agitation and avoid what’s known as the “defense cascade” is to bring your body back into the present moment. You can calm your body and tell your brain that you’re not in immediate danger by using a simple anchoring technique. I instruct my clients to feel their feet in their shoes as a discrete technique. They can quickly and covertly employ this grounding technique while sitting or standing by pressing their feet firmly into the ground, paying attention to their heels and toes in contact with the hard surface, reminding themselves to exhale fully and inhale again, and then considering what they want to say or do.
Agree in principle; then share realistic details. Although it doesn’t always feel that way, you and your boss theoretically share a mission and some common objectives. By demonstrating that you are on the same page, you may be given the opportunity to explain some of the real-world circumstances. One senior leader I worked with had no interest in learning about or considering the practical details of implementation; instead, he ignored any obstacles and made somewhat lofty claims about what his team would accomplish, assuming that worthwhile initiatives were simple to carry out. His team would struggle to follow through on his commitments, and clients and other organizational groups would hold them accountable for poor or unsuccessful execution.
I advised his team members to steer the conversation toward practical solutions rather than problems he didn’t want to hear by describing the steps they could take to achieve results that would be a win for him and opening discussions with lead-ins like, “Let me share with you a way I think we could do this with the least disruption.” We also tried acknowledging his requests without dismissing them as unrealistic. This sounded something like this, “I understand you want X. I’ve already tried doing Y, but I’m worried about Z. Although the leader still comes up with big ideas, he has grown accustomed to hearing more details about what is feasible and what is problematic, and frequently collaborates with team members to develop solutions that are more workable.
Send up some trial balloons to get rapid, usable feedback. It’s unlikely that your boss has illogical or unfair plans. It is much more likely that they have a justification that they haven’t adequately explained or even realized they have. Keep checking to make sure you comprehend and are fulfilling what your boss actually wants rather than simply saying, “This is ridiculous!”
I advised a irate CFO to consider the risk-averse CEO’s underlying motivations as well as her demands rather than just her demands, and the CFO was able to create numerous scenarios and spreadsheets that assisted the CEO in selecting a course of action that she felt was both bold and safe. We prepared language such as, “I know you’re concerned about the risk of too much investment too quickly. Take a look at these scenarios and let me know which aspects match your sense of the situation, and then I can build them out.” An iterative series of interactions like this can seem time-consuming, but it prevents you from straying too far from the point and fosters a sense of partnership that will help you establish trust in the future.
Gauge whether you’re gaining traction with your boss or not. Determine whether acting proactively or reactively will get you a better response from your boss by analyzing their communication style and approach. When I worked for an agency, the owner enjoyed entertaining fantasies and using them to create irrational expectations. The owner’s thinking changed when his staff mastered the skills of staying in close contact and consistently sharing pertinent information. On the other hand, if his staff directly inquired as to whether he was having a “blue-sky moment” or concentrating on present plans, a publishing CEO client learned to catch himself in the act of having visionary digressions. A third senior executive was only able to downsize her objectives when her staff used the drip method to gradually bring her attention to conflicting information over the course of several days.
After all is said and done, as long as you remain employed, you are still liable for contributing to the success of your team and your boss. Aim to fulfill as much of the organization’s mission as you can while preserving your sanity and self-respect, despite how frustrating it can be to work for an unrealistic leader.
What are some unrealistic expectations at work?
You might run into different kinds of irrational expectations in your job as a professional. To help you better comprehend the kinds of circumstances that call for intervention, here are a few examples of unrealistic expectations:
How to handle unrealistic expectations at work
There are many methods you can employ to deal with irrational workplace expectations and foster professional success. Here is a step-by-step manual to help you get through this experience:
1. Practice setting and enforcing boundaries
Try to practice setting boundaries and consistently enforcing them if you feel that your coworkers have unreasonable expectations of you. For instance, if your manager asks you to take on a new project with a large scope that you won’t be able to finish in a reasonable amount of time, let them know this boundary and work with them to come up with a different strategy. By doing this, you can succeed in your role and help your boss better understand what your limitations are.
2. Consider your supervisors intentions
Despite feeling overwhelmed by your supervisor’s expectations of you, try to see things from their point of view. Its likely that your supervisor doesnt have negative intentions. Instead, they might simply not comprehend how you’re feeling and have a strong faith in your skills. Understanding your boss’s motivations may help you relate to them on a human level and think of ways to make their expectations more realistic for you.
3. Solicit help from your coworkers to reach goals
Collaboration can help you overcome unrealistic workload expectations. Ask your coworkers for assistance in achieving your objectives if you have a deadline approaching or if you are unable to complete all the tasks involved in a project’s scope on your own. Having assistance can enable you to fulfill expectations while conserving energy and reducing stress.
4. Meet with your supervisor and offer feedback
If you believe that your role has unreasonable expectations, it’s critical to speak with your supervisor and provide feedback. Consider meeting with your manager and vocalizing your perspective. They might be able to relate to your situation and provide suggestions for a more manageable workload.
5. Create a workflow timeline that can help you succeed
Create your own workflow timeline that is more reasonable if your supervisor sets an arbitrary deadline for a project that you won’t be able to meet. From here, you can present your timeline to your manager so they can see what reasonable expectations are. This could aid your boss in gaining perspective and making adjustments in the future to create reasonable deadlines.
6. Take steps to maintain a healthy work-life balance
The key to succeeding in your position is upholding a healthy work-life balance. Having a healthy work-life balance includes finding time for yourself to unwind and unwind. As a result, be sure to plan time for self-care or vacations and establish firm limits on your ability to work during these times.
7. Establish and verbalize your priorities
It’s important to communicate your current workflow priorities to your supervisor if you are already working on a high-priority project and they give you additional work. It’s possible that your boss overlooked the important task or assumed you would start it after you finished. Establishing your priorities while taking these possibilities into consideration can help everyone understand what expectations are reasonable.
8. Offer positive reinforcement when your supervisor sets realistic expectations
When your boss is reasonable about their expectations for you, encourage this behavior. You can accomplish this by expressing your gratitude for their accommodating schedule or deadlines. If your supervisor is aware of how much you value their reasonability, they might make a commitment to more frequently setting realistic expectations.
9. Communicate effectively and regularly
Try to consistently start conversations with your supervisor about their expectations if they don’t communicate clearly. To understand what they expect from you and determine whether you can reasonably accomplish their demands, you can ask specific questions. By consistently doing this, you might be able to better comprehend your position, identify opportunities for success, and inspire your boss to communicate clearly.
10. Take time to celebrate your successes
When you succeed, especially in the face of unreasonable demands or times of high demand, take some time to acknowledge your accomplishments and tell your manager. Detailing your progress in regular status reports or check-ins will help you achieve this. These updates could assist your boss in appreciating your worth and comprehending how their expectations affect you.
Unrealistic Expectations at Work and how to DEAL WITH THEM
FAQ
How do you deal with unrealistic expectations?
- Remember: You can only control yourself. It can be helpful to determine whether you actually have any control over the situation before setting an expectation.
- Know your limits. …
- Share your expectations. …
- Keep a flexible mindset.
What are unrealistic expectations at work?
Causes of unrealistic work expectations When deadlines cannot be met due to a lack of time to complete the task or a lack of workers to handle the workload, pressure mounts and expectations become unrealistic.
How do you tell your boss they have unrealistic expectations?
- I’m grateful that you gave me this assignment, but I’m currently very busy. Can we sit down and talk about it?
- I’m excited to be leading this project, and I think Tara should be included here.” ”.
How do you handle unattainable work goals?
- Point out any logistical challenges they may be missing.
- Be completely honest and transparent about your concerns.
- Ask your team to be informed of the current objective or task.
- Don’t take it personally.
- Choose to take on the challenge.
