Expectation management & empathy chain
A human-centric way of managing projects from a consulting perspective
Talk to your customer & listen. Really.
“One of the most sincere forms of respect is actually listening to what another has to say.” — Bryant H. McGill
Since “client is king”, one of the ultimate goals is to make customers happy respectively to understand their needs and to fulfil their expectations. It is not so easy to capture what clients desire, especially when they sometimes do not even know themselves. However, as a consultant or project manager, it is part of the mission to grasp needs, or at least try to understand the perception of the stakeholders of a given context. With an empathic and critical mind, enquiring enough with the right questions helps to get a good basis. Then expectations can be translated into a brief, for instance, or a sort of oral contract based on truthful disclosure. It is crucial to make sure that all parties involved feel right with the conditions laid on the table — the company’s contributions to the client, and vice versa. Therefore, it is important to take the time to stage a good start before tackling anything concrete.
Make your client part of your team
When it comes to project management and co-creation, the journey is not necessarily a quiet river. Even when one is full of goodwill and thinks to know how to proceed, even though processes are clear and agile, there are as many perceptions as there are people — which makes the experience of a journey uncertain. This is something people are all probably aware of but not everyone has the same performance standards. Step after step, a project carries on with stakeholders’ assumptions towards a given goal. However, at some point expectations are maybe not met and eventually shit hits the fan. The situation cannot be handled as wished and team members might feel helpless, annoyed and confused. Why is it so difficult to move towards a goal in harmony without generating frustration and disappointment along the way?
Well, probably first because people are too focused on the outcome itself — too much budget- and time-oriented. Team members of a project tend to be considered as pawns or tools to generate the value expected. However, any stakeholder is a major factor of the output itself. The quality of the outcome also depends on how the team goes about it and how stakeholders’ expectations are included. People usually assume they know what others need based on assumptions and their own perception. But, what about asking directly or observing them? Everyone needs to be attentively heard in order to define a common understanding of the value of what needs to be created. On top of that, it is not a controllable process where ingredients are picked, mixed, and then the taste, the look and feel of the recipe is exactly how it is foreseen to be. This is the magic of human factors — they are unpredictable, as well as their impact on each other, but their fusion can create things that no one can predict.
Success is a team sport
With reference to the model “Forming, Storming, Norming, and Performing” from the stages of team formation by Bruce Tuckman in 1965, the ultimate goal is to reach the last step, performing, where participants thrive. Firstly, forming happens at the very beginning of the project where all team members get together — roles and objectives are defined. Secondly, storming is when the team starts to sort itself out, to define processes and structures while building trust. This is usually where conflicts happen and therefore, some might struggle to pass to the next stage. Thirdly, norming is when the team has a common and more intimate basis. Thus, respect and constructive exchange take place. Finally, at the performing stage, the team is now semiautonomous and cohesive. By having a clear and shared goal in mind, people are eager and motivated to reach it together — which can lead to a high level of success.
This reference shows that becoming a team takes time and effort. Being coordinated and pulling together in the same direction is not so straightforward. It requires training, stamina and team spirit. Only when team players are well-calibrated, magic happens and victory becomes within reach.
Keep your friends close, and your clients even closer
Like any relationship, a project is a continuous engagement where members’ needs and expectations require to be checked along the way. If they are not taken into consideration or simply avoided by just running towards what one perceives as right, it will backfire at some point. It is not by just asking for a review at the end, after the development or the implementation of the project that improvement and a high qualitative result are ensured. A direct and mechanic feedback system could prevent dissatisfaction along the process and thus, solving it early enough. If it is not to ask something from stakeholders, at least keeping them informed and engaged is key.
This is what is meant by empathy chain — an active and transparent follow-up of the project. In order to have a successful outcome, clients need to take ownership of the project so that it takes root and keeps on growing. Therefore, being actually part of the process makes them understand any decision and evolution.
Face the risks and fears, but go for it anyway
“Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing.” — Helen Keller
It is not being pessimistic to consider what can go wrong — it is being aware of reality and being prepared. By exposing the negative aspects, it shows that the situation is well analysed and thought through. In case of issues, other plans or fallbacks are considered. Having already alternatives in mind helps to reduce unpleasant surprises. Most of the time it depends on the context when it comes to deciding what to undertake to fix the situation. However, being self-critical, reflect calmly and discuss within the team is an important step. Pros and cons can then be weighed to select the most appropriate solution. In the end, if plan A did not work, it should not be forgotten that there are 25 other letters.
Do not promise the moon but go your extra mile
Managing expectations means also manipulating the experience of the target. As, happiness equals reality minus expectations or better said, disappointment equals expectation divided through reality, the goal is to set the right level of expectation in order to have room to surpass it with reality. Over-promising and under-delivering lead to failure and frustrations. The recipe might be to get clients’ expectations right by focusing on fundamentals first — which means under-promising. Then, seeking opportunities to create such “wow” moments are required to positively raise the curve of the client’s emotional journey. Doing a “good job” is not enough because it all depends on one’s perception of what good is. Managing how one’s work is received and acknowledged is then a skill as such.
Getting out of one’ s bubble, expressing clearly and authentically what it is, engaging and understanding the perception of the people at stake could, therefore, be the key to smooth communication, improved effectiveness, qualitative projects and the avoidance of disillusionment.
Having said that, in general, the key to happiness is low expectations.
Lower.
Nope, even lower.
There you go.
