Raising the Bar

Raising the Bar

Do you ever feel as if you’re swimming in a sea of mediocrity? Your children, co-workers, friends, organization members, all stuck in a rut of being happy with just plain old normality? Are you yourself keeping standards low so as not to be disappointed?

While keeping things routine can be a good thing, we sometimes need to shake things up. Let’s raise the bar–not only for ourselves, but for those around us. Setting higher goals can help others–and yourself!–untap talent, intelligence, and skills they didn’t know they were capable of.

Think about this from an educator’s standpoint: they expect students to listen, to speak in turn, to walk single-file, to not cut in line, and to learn. They expect not to be challenged, disrespected, or ignored when they speak. The best among them expect nothing less than excellence. Know what? Their students usually respond positively to those expectations.

How can we set higher standards without alienating everyone because they think we’re looking for perfection? By setting appropriate expectations for yourself and your hopes for others. Start small, creating a proper balance in being realistic and goals that are simply over the top. When something isn’t working, talk about it, and be willing to change things around to make it work more efficiently. Once they see a change in you, others are more willing to rise to greater expectations.