Some Team Leaders treat their subordinates in a positive way that leads to increased performance. But most, unintentionally (unless they are Command & Control Theory X managers then it’s intentional!), treat their Team Members in a manner that leads to lower performance than they are capable of achieving.
The way Team Leaders treat their subordinates is influenced by what they expect of them. If a Team Leader’s expectations are high, performance improves. If a Team Leader’s expectations are low, performance will remain poor or decrease. This is because there is a law that caused a Team Member’s performance to rise or fall to meet the Team Leader’s expectations.
This law is The Pygmalion Effect which posits that what Team Members, and others, think, act, and how they perceive their capabilities can be influenced by the reasonable expectations of those they respect and trust – hopefully, their Team Leader.
The Pygmalion Effect is a reminder of the potential influence and impact of our expectations on others. Even if the impact is small, having high expectations inspires others to realize more of their untapped potential.
Each of us, whether or not we are leaders, exert influence on those we interact with on a daily basis. By making every interaction a positive one, showing the other person you believe in them and their ability to exceed the limitations they or others have placed on them, you may give them the positive psychological push to do so.
I could be wrong…but I’m not.
