Aligning Expectations

Written by Randy Mayes

One of the more well-worn management sayings I encountered early in my career was, “People don’t do what you expect; they do what you inspect.” While catchy, this perspective rests on a foundation of mistrust. It assumes that people need constant oversight or they’ll veer off course — a mindset rooted in control, not collaboration. Over time, this approach erodes trust, fractures teamwork, and compromises sustainable success.

Instead of building systems of surveillance, what if we focused on alignment?

Decades ago, Edwin Locke’s foundational research on goal-setting introduced the concept of agreement as a core principle of performance. Often overlooked in conversations about SMART goals, Locke’s work demonstrated that people are far more likely to achieve goals when they agree on them. In other words, the path to performance runs not through pressure, but through mutual understanding.

If we’re honest about how high-performing teams work today, a more accurate version of the saying would be:

“People don’t do what you expect; they do what they expect.”

If you want your team to deliver on your expectations, the solution is not inspection — it’s alignment. And no, telling them what they should expect isn’t enough. Shared ownership begins with shared clarity.

What Alignment Looks Like in Practice:

To create alignment that drives performance:

• Define Winning Together
  Involve your team in co-creating a clear picture of success. Agreement on goals creates commitment and clarity.

• Make Success Visible
  Build a simple, visual scoreboard that shows where you are versus where you want to be. Visibility fuels accountability.

• Create a Consistent Cadence
  Establish a regular rhythm — weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly — to meet, assess progress, and course-correct as needed. Alignment is not a one-time event.

• Celebrate Shared Success
  Acknowledge when expectations are met. Recognition reinforces alignment and energizes the team for what’s next.

When expectations are aligned, teams move forward together. Not because they’re being watched — but because they’re bought in.