Keep the Bar High

A quote by Joseph Grenny recently caught my attention:

“When there is a failure in performance, it's a type of tyranny—and cowardice—to respond by lowering expectations.”

At first glance, the statement may seem harsh. After all, when things are not going well, isn't it reasonable to adjust goals and expectations?

But the more I reflected on it, the more I realized how often we choose the easier path. When a team misses a target, when a child struggles with a subject, or when we fail to achieve a personal goal, our instinct is often to lower the bar rather than address the underlying problem.

Lowering expectations provides immediate relief. It removes pressure and avoids uncomfortable conversations. However, it also sends a subtle message:

"I no longer believe you can do it."

And that can be far more damaging than the failure itself.

True leadership is not about reducing standards when challenges arise. It is about understanding what stands in the way of success and helping people overcome those obstacles. It requires courage to have difficult conversations, provide honest feedback, offer support, and continue believing in someone's potential even when they are struggling.

I have seen this principle play out in professional life many times. High-performing teams are not built by lowering expectations whenever difficulties appear. They are built by maintaining clear standards while providing the guidance, tools, and encouragement needed to achieve them.

The same principle applies to our personal lives.

When we fail to exercise regularly, the answer is not to abandon fitness goals. When we struggle to learn a new skill, the answer is not to convince ourselves that learning is unnecessary. Growth happens when we stay committed to meaningful goals while adjusting our approach—not our ambition.

This doesn't mean being unrealistic or insensitive. Expectations must be fair and achievable. But once we know something is possible, lowering expectations simply because the journey is difficult limits what people can become.

The best leaders, parents, teachers, and mentors do something remarkable: they hold people accountable because they believe in them. They challenge others not to make life harder, but because they see potential that has not yet been fully realized.

Failure should trigger learning, coaching, and improvement—not lower expectations.

Because people rarely rise to lowered expectations.

They rise when someone believes they can achieve more.

Final Thought

When performance falls short, don't lower the bar. Find a better ladder.
That is where growth begins.