Meet Your Expectations, Don’t Blow Them Up

A new CEO decided to meet every single employee as one of his starting initiatives. He set up 15-minute meetings to get to know everyone in the 350 employee company and people were shocked.

They were shocked because no other CEO had offered 15 minutes of his precious time to listen to them. It was rare and appreciated. People went into their meetings with great expectations.

I did too. I thought it would be a great opportunity to make a great impression, discuss my current work situation and get off to a good start with him. Maybe it could open up new and interesting possibilities?

When the time came for my meeting, I went into his office, we shook hands, said a few ice-breaker phrases and then the CEO proceeded to talk about himself for 15 minutes. About his achievements, his beliefs and his career. I can’t remember him asking me anything about my work situation, about my family or anything personal.

I left the meeting disillusioned. I’ve rarely held huge expectations with new management and that’s fine, I guess even normal, but when you build up expectations like the CEO had done, you have to make sure you meet them.

Those 15 minutes were probably more harmful than good and in the coming months many left the company. Maybe not because of that, but it could definitely have played a part.

Lesson: Meet Your Expectations – Don’t Blow Them Up.