Why Expectations Keep Failing, Even in High-Performing Teams
Leadership breakdowns often don’t come from lack of effort.
They come from something less obvious and more costly: unspoken expectations.
These expectations shape how we lead, how we interpret others, and how we measure success.
But when left unclear, they can undermine performance, erode trust, and fracture teams that once felt aligned.
Jorge Loebl, founder of Revolving Change, names this clearly:
“We’ve all felt this. You thought someone would do something, and they didn’t. You thought something was obvious, but it wasn’t. That’s expectations at work — or not working.”
Reason 1: Expectations That Go Unspoken Still Create Pressure
Most people believe they’ve communicated clearly.
But unless expectations are stated out loud and confirmed, they remain assumptions.
You might think:
- “They should know I expect follow-through.”
- “We agreed to the deadline. That should be enough.”
- “I shouldn’t have to repeat this.”
Meanwhile, your team might be interpreting things very differently.
Unspoken expectations still carry weight. But they tend to show up too late, and unevenly.
Reason 2: Carrying Expectations That Don’t Belong to You
Not all expectations are created internally. Some are absorbed — silently and unconsciously.
You may be leading with:
- Beliefs passed down from former managers
- Cultural assumptions shaped by past environments
- Family-origin rules about leadership, conflict, or worth
Jorge explains:
“Some leaders carry expectations from their family system, their upbringing, their culture. They don’t realize how much they’re leading based on someone else’s voice, not their own.”
These inherited expectations may feel familiar.
But that doesn’t make them relevant.
Reason 3: When Expectations Don’t Evolve, They Fall Apart
Even once-valid expectations can become liabilities if they aren’t updated.
- A “just figure it out” approach might work in a three-person startup, but not in a multi-level team.
- Leaders who stay hands-off with new hires often miss opportunities for alignment.
- Some expectations simply expire, even if they were once useful.
What served your team two years ago might now be a source of friction.
Sticking with the familiar isn't the same as staying aligned.
Discover: Why Expectations Keep Failing, Even in High-Performing Teams
To lead clearly, you must surface what is usually hidden.
That means naming the expectations that shape behavior — including the ones no one has said out loud.
It also means asking the right questions:
- “Where do I assume clarity exists?”
- “What am I expecting that hasn’t been agreed upon?”
- “Is this expectation still serving us?”
Jorge puts it this way:
“We can’t lead based on what we think people should know. We have to lead based on what we’ve agreed to.”
Design: Rebuild Expectations Through Language, Not Assumption
Clear expectations are co-created.
They’re not handed down or implied. They’re spoken and checked.
You can begin this work by:
- Naming assumptions as they surface
- Making your own expectations visible to others
- Inviting your team to clarify what they’re hearing, not just what you’re saying
The strongest leaders do not leave expectations to chance.
They design for clarity.
Deliver: Create Systems That Align, Adapt, and Stay Clear
Great expectations don’t live in one-off conversations.
They live in your systems, your feedback loops, and your leadership behavior.
To make that real:
- Build check-ins for shared expectations across projects
- Document and update team norms as culture evolves
- Model clarity when stress or change puts pressure on alignment
Expectations will always exist.
Your job is to make sure they are accurate, evolving, and fully understood.
Navigate Expectations With Clarity at Every Level
Want to see how expectations break down in the real world — and what it takes to lead through them?
For senior executives and decision-makers:
Clarity Starts at the Top: Fixing the Feedback Disconnect
For team leads and operational managers:
Bridging the Generational Gap: Managing Expectations Across Age Groups
For entrepreneurs and business owners:
When Clients Expect One Thing and You Deliver Another
Stop Leading with Unspoken Assumptions
Most leaders don’t struggle because they don’t care.
They struggle because they’re relying on invisible expectations and outdated rules that no longer serve them.
Lead with clarity. Speak what matters.