Broadcast Your Expectations
Make 2026 Your Year of Friction-Free Feedback
In 1994 I recorded my first solo LP - in classic cassette tape format - that included three original dance tracks (see photo above).
No, this is not a joke! Prior to my career in hospitality I was a singer for many years. I worked in various genres and collaborated with anyone making good music so I could gain experience and find my niche. In the early days I did a ton of background vocals, had a stint in a girl group, and then leaned heavily into dance music. At this time I decided to record my own material and worked with an engineer named Lior who helped me bring my music to life in his home studio.
As a singer and songwriter I had one big challenge. I had a full song in my head, complete with various parts, but I had to get that song out of my head and express it clearly, so Lior could turn it into a fully articulated recorded song. As a singer I had expansive vocal chops and could sing my melody and background vocals with ease. But it was hard to let Lior know how I was envisioning the bass line, drum style, and overall ambiance.
The way we worked is that I would sing a line to emulate each part (bass/guitar/keyboards) and then express verbally what I wanted. I would say things like “could we do a bass line like the one in the verse of Livin’ Joy’s Dreamer?” I had to be very specific so that he could truly understand what was in my head. If I had just left it to him (an accomplished artist and DJ who founded the group Astral Projection, known for their unique Israeli psychedelic/Goa trance music) I would have likely gotten very different results.
Just because something is abundantly clear to you doesn’t mean it occurs to others in the exact same way. Imagine if I had just said “make it sound cool.” He would have had no idea of what “cool” meant to me. Our versions of “cool” would have been incredibly different and I could have ended up with a song that sounded like something I would never have considered. Now, if I didn’t have any idea of what I wanted that could have been a very interesting and expansive collaboration. However, as the leader of this production with a clear vision for the end result, I had to be abundantly clear in sharing my concept so he could help me attain it. I had to broadcast my expectations again and again with Lior so he could bring my music to life.
Fast forward to 2025; something that has come up a ton in my work recently is how setting expectations is the ultimate game changer for leaders. By setting clear expectations you are able to guide people to truly understand what you have in your head. The very cool news is that setting expectations also helps you take the friction out of feedback. Here’s why:
Setting expectations at the start of a project or work relationship clarifies what you want, how you see things, and what your vision is for the task at hand (or project, goal, or role in the organization).
By clarifying what you want you remove doubt for those working with you.
When you’ve removed doubt at the beginning you also remove friction during the execution of the task or project.
So that, at the end, when you give feedback on the execution (that is comprised of said expectations) there are few surprises.
Here’s the thing: feedback is inherently backward facing; we look back and then comment on what happened in the past. Feedback is not proactive, it is reactive. This is very different than sharing expectations upfront. The power of setting expectations at the start of a project or task is that you’re actually being very proactive. You’re setting your colleague up for success by telling them what you need/desire/require for the task to succeed. So, when the deadline is hit and you share your feedback after the task has been completed, you’re referencing the very things you agreed upon in the beginning. Removing doubt at the front end helps you remove friction from the feedback delivered at the end.
Broadcasting your expectations is something you can do in so many settings with so many different people. You can set expectations with your team (when assigning projects or goals), you can set expectations with your clients (to clarify the timeline, deliverables, and the touch points where you require their input), you can set expectations with your colleagues and peers (setting an agenda for a meeting or group project), and you can even set expectations for those new to your team (by sharing how you work and what is important to you and your organization).
When we simply give feedback at the end we’re doing those around us a disservice. We’re creating doubt instead of confidence or clarity. By taking a moment at the start to set your team up with the expectations they need to fulfill the goal/task you’re setting out, you’re helping them succeed in their role. Without friction, and instead with a healthy dose of confidence and clarity.
By now you’re wondering what happened to my dance cassette? While I didn’t end up becoming the next Lady Gaga I did have some fun performing my tunes. I proudly sent it out to various music labels and I performed around town, most notably at Webster Hall on the main stage and at an industry showcase for a crowd that included Madonna. I was so proud of my music in part because Lior and I had a meeting of the minds; we built trust through our collaboration and communication. Without any friction whatsoever.
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When you’re ready here’s how you can work with me:
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I look forward to working with you!
