The First E: Expectation

Remember how kids just knew we’d have costumes ready… snacks prepared… parades attended… candy sorted?
They didn’t question it.
They expected the experience to happen.

That’s trust.
That’s consistency.

In organizations, expectation is the foundation of experience.
Employees want to know:

• What happens when I ask for help?

• How does feedback work here?

• How do decisions get made?

• Do leaders do what they say they’ll do?

When expectations are clear and reliable, employees feel safe.
When expectations are unclear or inconsistent, employees feel anxious, frustrated, or disengaged.

You don’t need a huge transformation to improve expectations.
Sometimes it’s as simple as:

• Clarifying what “good” looks like

• Creating predictable communication rhythms

• Doing what we say, every time

Expectation builds trust.
Trust builds commitment.

And commitment is where engagement begins.