Expectations have a powerful impact on our emotions, behaviors, and most importantly, in our performances. Have you noticed what happens when you expect no raise or promotion at work? Most likely you will not get them! The bitter truth is that - not only will you lose a promotion - but most likely you will not perform to your fullest potential, either. Expectations have a direct link to our behavior and outcome. One of most common reasons for low employee morale and performance is poor communication of work expectations. Why is this so difficult and what are we doing about it?

Many of these expectations are not written anywhere. That, in and of itself, can cause some trouble. If you are head of a department and you hire a new director, you expect new director to do X, Y, and Z. You do not bother with providing a written list of expectations because you assume he or she would know these things. Surprise, surprise… some things that are obvious and normal for you might be considered silly and unnecessary for your new hire.

The answer is simple. It is about communicating clearly, addressing people, and not allowing assumptions to overrun our lives. But as I mentioned, this is often easier said than done.

There are several things that can be done to alleviate this obstacle. Implementing tips below can help open lines of communication so that expectations are not only known, but also acted upon successfully.

1.Be aware of them. Obviously, we have to be aware of our own expectations before we try to communicate them to anyone else. Be honest with yourself. If you expect a promotion after you close a million dollar deal then you need to name what you expect. In this first step, you should claim what you want, whatever it might be, and should be honest with yourself and those around you.