Great Expectations or Expectation Ping Pong

I worked in consulting for 8 years at Oracle and consulting is more of an expectation management game than anything else. If you are a consultant, odds are you play this game every day. Here are some basic pointers.

1.) Understand the expectation
2.) Define the expectation (state your understanding)
3.) Confirm the expectation (confirm with the person your understanding and definition of the expectation) including time and cost.
4.) Deliver to that expectation

Remember, the easiest way to get setup for failure is
1.) Don’t define an expectation.
2.) Have it change on you all the time

If you work for somebody who is changing the expectation on you all the time, it is time to look for a new job.

Mahesh