Great Expectations: How Belief Unlocks Team Potential

Did you know that only 22% of employees feel they are managed in a way that encourages exceptional performance? Alarming, right? For any leader committed to unlocking their team's full potential, this should be a wake-up call.

As a leader, you have a choice: remain stuck in mediocrity or inspire greatness. It all begins with what you expect from the people you lead.

The Pygmalion Effect: Unleash the Power of Belief

One of the most powerful—and often neglected—tools in leadership is the ability to shape reality through belief. When you show trust in your team’s abilities, their confidence surges, and they rise to meet your expectations. This self-fulfilling prophecy, known as the Pygmalion effect, was named after the Greek myth of a sculptor whose love for his statue brought it to life.

Research shows that when leaders truly believe their team can take ownership of tasks and solve problems independently, employees are far more likely to step up. They become empowered, engaged, and motivated. But when leaders doubt their team's competence, they create a stifling environment that prevents growth.

The Pygmalion effect isn’t just feel-good leadership jargon—it’s rooted in neuroscience. When people feel trusted and capable, their brains release dopamine, the pleasure chemical that drives motivation and growth. High expectations, coupled with trust, activate this brain chemistry, leading to performance breakthroughs.

Micromanagement: The Silent Saboteur

On the flip side, low expectations—often communicated through micromanagement—cripple potential. When leaders constantly hover or dictate every task, they’re sending a clear message: "I don’t believe you can do this on your own." This erodes confidence and disempowers employees, creating a culture of dependency and mediocrity.

Micromanagement isn’t just a bad habit—it’s a belief system that says, "I expect you to fail unless I’m involved." Over time, this mentality robs teams of creativity, initiative, and drive. Instead of stepping up, micromanaged employees wait for direction. If you want to breed disengagement, keep micromanaging.

Expect, Don’t Inspect

Micromanaging is the physical embodiment of low expectations. While some leaders think they’re protecting quality or maintaining control, what they’re really doing is undermining trust and crippling innovation. When employees feel every decision is questioned, they stop making them altogether. The result? A team that operates on autopilot, devoid of energy and creativity.

If you want your employees to reach their highest potential, ditch micromanagement. The more you trust, the more they’ll deliver. Trust fosters ownership. Ownership fuels growth.

Coach, Don’t Control: Ask, Don’t Tell

It's not enough to simply believe in your team; you need to demonstrate it. Transitioning from a directive style to a coach approach sends a powerful message: "I trust you." Instead of giving step-by-step instructions, ask thought-provoking questions that encourage independent problem-solving.

Yes, it might feel uncomfortable at first. But stepping back allows your team to think critically and take ownership. Instead of telling employees what to do, try asking questions like, "What do you think is the best path forward?" or "How would you tackle this challenge?" These open-ended questions unlock creativity and build confidence, transforming the leader’s role from dictator to coach.

Unlocking Potential Starts With Trust

By embracing the Pygmalion effect and transitioning to a coach approach, you foster a culture where employees don’t just meet expectations—they exceed them. If you truly want to unlock your team's potential, believe in their abilities, resist the urge to micromanage, and give them the space to shine.

Expect greatness, and greatness will follow.

About the Author

Sandra McDowell, MA, PCC, CULC, CPHR

As the founder and voice behind eLeadership Academy™, Sandra McDowell helps leaders and organizations increase performance and well-being by leveraging neuroscience insights to harness the untapped power of the brain.

About eLeadership Academy™

Exclusive to credit unions, eLeadership Academy™ is the only online training solution that provides accessible, actionable training to develop high-performance CU leaders. We are on a mission to help build leadership and coaching bench strength within the system because we know credit unions are a force for good, and their leaders are the catalyst for member and employee experience. For more information, visit www.eleadershipacademy.com or contact [email protected].