The Muscle Every Leader Needs to Build

Mindset is more than a buzzword. Leaders who actively flex the muscles of “expectation”, or their “Ex,” understand its impact. The expectations you set for yourself and your team influence daily interactions and shape long-term results.

Expectation Shapes Behavior

Research shows that expectation affects more than attitude. Dr. Alia Crum, a psychologist at Stanford, has demonstrated that our beliefs influence both physiology and performance. In one study, hotel employees were asked to see their everyday tasks as exercise. While their routines didn’t change, their health improved and their happiness at work improved because their expectations about the benefits of their work shifted.

For leaders, this means that entering a challenge with an expectation of growth changes the outcome. Instead of preparing only for problems, you create room for new solutions.

The Practical Side of Flexing Your Ex

A senior executive we coached experienced this shift. At home, she often embraced patience and  supported her young children by focusing on one skill at a time, encouraging steady progress, and celebrating small wins. The result was confidence and consistent improvement. At work, however, her mentoring style was more directive and focused on speed and short-term results.

Her breakthrough came when she recognized the difference in expectations. At home she expected growth to take time and offered her kids the runway they needed to master small skills through repetition and practice. At work she expected immediate outcomes, often driven by pressure to meet performance metrics. Once she applied the same long-term expectation to her team, they responded with greater initiative and delivered stronger results. Ultimately she felt less burdened because she no longer had to set the direction every time. Her direct reports took greater ownership for direction setting.

Expectation in Decision Making

Leaders in technical or data-driven industries often rely on data or numbers for clarity. Yet expectation influences how numbers are interpreted. A leader who expects creative solutions will see opportunities where another sees only obstacles. Research on decision-making shows that leaders who adopt an adaptive mindset evaluate both risks and opportunities more evenly. This doesn’t mean ignoring evidence. It means letting expectations expand the range of possible choices and reduce the chance of narrow or pessimistic thinking.

How to Train Your Expectation Muscle

Like physical exercise, training your expectation muscle requires practice:

• Name the expectation. Before a project or conversation, ask, “What am I expecting?” If it sounds rigid or negative, pause and reframe.

• Focus on possibility. Recognize limits, but phrase goals in terms of what could be achieved. This creates room for innovation.

• Borrow from other places.  Identify areas of your life where your current expectations bring about your preferred (positive) results, such as sports, family, or hobbies. Apply that same mindset to work.

• Visualize success. Picture the outcome you want. This primes the brain to notice signals and align action with intent.

Final Thought

Expectations send powerful signals. They shape how leaders show up, how teams respond, and what results become possible. 

What expectation are you holding today that, if shifted, could unlock new growth for you or your team?

If you are ready to explore how to flex your “Ex” and strengthen your leadership mindset, let’s connect. 

• LinkedIn – http://www.linkedin.com/company/The-Lenserf-Group
• Let’s Talk: calendly.com/lenserfgroup 
• Subscribe to the Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/ihpO6D
• Leadership COGS 
• EYP Academy

For further reading:

• Crum, A. J., Salovey, P., & Achor, S. (2013). Rethinking stress: The role of mindsets in determining the stress response. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 104(4), 716–733.

• Crum, A. J., Langer, E. J. (2007). Mind-set matters: Exercise and the placebo effect. Psychological Science, 18(2), 165–171.

• Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset: The New Psychology of Success. Random House.

• HBR Editors. (2014). How Companies Can Profit from a “Growth Mindset.” Harvard Business Review.