Should Happens
Sep 08, 2023
I'll bet you've got that one colleague.
You know, that one colleague who time after time after time puts you in a position where you can only GUESS what's happening because they REFUSE to communicate.
You've told them SO MANY times that they need to loop you in and they just won't $%^&$%^ do it.
FLAMING DUMPSTER FIRE🔥
Even WORSE, when you're inevitably called upon to salvage what has become a flaming dumpster fire, that one colleague starts pointing their finger at you to tell you all the things you SHOULD be doing. They're FULL of should. They should all over. Lots of should everywhere. I mean, there's so much should, where do we even store it? Surely it must be contributing to global warming. Maybe we can use it to grow crops?🌽 FOR THE LOVE OF PEAT, CAN WE PLEASE BUY SOME FREAKIN' CARBON OFFSETS AND COMPOST THE SHOULD?
STEAMING PILES OF IT 💩
It's stinky, it's toxic, it's infuriating.....and you don't need to keep putting up with all those massive steaming piles of should.
Because here's the thing: anytime somebody offers you a should, it stems from an expectation. Shoulds cannot exist without expectation.
And expectations are no bueno, amigo. If you look around, you'll likely notice you're SURROUNDED by expectations. "Does not meet expectations, meets expectations, exceeds expectations"....sound familiar? Except, NOBODY KNOWS WHAT THE FLYING $%^&@#$ EXPECTATIONS ARE! Expectations are just a really convenient way to be super vague about everything.
AHHHHH...
Instead of living in a land of should, there's an opportunity to replace expectations with agreements. The best agreements are co-created, often have details, tend to be written down, and include terms about what happens if/when the agreement fails. Especially around points of friction, converting expectations into agreements offers a way to elevate your work and life faster than you've likely ever thought possible.
YOUR MISSION, IF YOU CHOOSE TO ACCEPT IT 🕵️
Keep your ears open and the next time you catch somebody shoulding on you, invite them to replace that should with an agreement you and they create together. Let me know how it goes!
I'm in your corner, Eric