Getting an Employee to Go the Extra Mile

Managers often say, “I want this employee to fully meet the formal expectations and even exceed them. And then – on his own initiative – to see what else he can do to help, and then – on his own initiative – do it!” To which I always say, “So why not just explain to them, frequently and enthusiastically, that ‘going the extra mile’ is the expectation?”

I was having this conversation with a restaurant manager (I’ll call him “Res.”) Res kept insisting, “That’s just setting the bar higher. So now the real expectation is the old expectation plus going the extra mile.” My response: “That’s exactly right. Let’s face it. When you complain that your direct reports are not going above and beyond expectations, you are obviously trying to raise the bar. So raise it! Spell out that higher expectation as clearly as possible.”

How can you teach someone to care?

The reason this is not an entirely satisfying response is that when managers like Res complain that…