To boldly go....

To bodly go ....

I had an interaction recently where the a management team shied away from what appeared to be an obvious step in expressly stating (entirely reasonable) expectations and standards because they did not want them to be seem as (presumably unreasonable) demands. It's probably happening in many boardrooms across the world in the context of employer and its people or between suppliers and customers or even between partners.

The perception of risk of upsetting people or causing offence seems to be on the rise. More so given the rise in the modern day sanctity of opinion and the perceived validity of hurt feelings. Now, I don't advocate picking fights to satiate a desire for gratuitous emotional damage or to fan the flames of difference just for the sake of doing so. However, we can't run organisations without being clear on the balance between what we expect and how we foster an environment to allow it to develop. Being demanding (reasonably, nicely, clearly but firmly) helps all actors know where they stand and what is expected of them. It allows adjustment to behaviours or likely outcomes in good time. It allows great achievement to be rewarded.

Being bold in setting targets and expectations and managing against them is the basics of good leadership. It adds clarity towards everyone understanding what is expected in a business relationship. Instead of negatively impacting people, a framework of expectation can provide a structure in which people can feel comfortable and in which to understand that their own standards should be mirrored in those of their colleagues or partners.

So next time this debate come up - be bold , be upfront and don't necessarily be apologetic about providing clarity of what is expected from those that you do business with or from those around you.

You may not feel compelled to explore strange new worlds; to seek out new life and new civilizations; or to boldly go where no man has gone before! .... but you are allowed to channel your inner James T Kirk ...... be bold!