So much for "Lowered Expectations"...

Remember that skit from Saturday Night Live - from ages ago? it was a play on the old dating service "Great Expectations"... anywhoo - in the skit, the dating pool was from the not-so-choice candidates...

well, my friend Megan & I came up with a theory about "lowered expectations"... in the workplace.

Ever notice how the slacker gets so much praise when he/she actually decides to put in some sort of effort?

Yet the person who goes in everyday and gives 100% gets slammed if he/she has an "off" day?

I've always had a strong work ethic. I do what needs to be done. And I do it well. I give 90-100% most of the time.

But what always burned me up was the way the slacker - who bummed around and got by doing just 50% - would all of a sudden give a little extra - like 75% - Bonus Time! If I ever gave as little as 50% to 75%, I'd get chewed up and spit out.

So this is how it works... the slacker is all of a sudden doing the boss/company a favor by performing, and everyone is suddenly thrilled. whereas the hard worker is just taken for granted until the one day when he/she doesn't meet the standards - and it's time for a lecture or a meeting.

I have one job where I get the job done in a timely manner. If I ever show up on time, my boss is stunned. I work for her every wednesday - sometimes I show up at 12, sometimes at 12:15. My original start time was supposed to be 11am. But she knows - I get the tasks completed - so what does it matter what time I show up? Unless there's a specific reason why I'm needed at a certain time, I just show up whenever. I don't plan it that way... it just turns out like that.

I have another job where I work there once a week. Again - there's no set time... just 5 hours or so - as long as it takes for me to get the tasks completed. I work independently. we communicate via email or texts most of the time. She also knows I am not a morning person - and that if she ever sees me before 9 am (let alone 10) - hell must be freezing over.

Here's the problem: I just started a new job. I'm very very thankful for it, and I want to do a great job. However, there are 2 people in the company that I've worked with before. They know my work ethic and how I'm hard-working, blah, blah blah.

But they've been singing the praises of ME and telling the boss how awesome I am and how I'm the best and that he must hire me...

Way to set the bar so high.

How can I even meet those HIGH expectations? Now I'm gonna start a new job where if i ever make a mistake - the boss is gonna be thinking "dude - they told me you were the best - what's up with this?" So I have to start out of the gate performing exceptionally - where's room for improvement?