Raising Expectations
Our expectations set our standards, shape our interactions and affect how kids perform
A genuinely held belief that kids can achieve great things if they put their minds to it is the foundation of all successful talent development programmes in sport and beyond. The merits of this approach are evident even under the most challenging conditions, as exemplified by prominent schools located in disadvantaged areas that consistently achieve outstanding academic results. Irrespective of the lack of socioeconomic advantages, this alchemy is achieved through a culture of high expectations, high standards and a policy of no excuses. The same formula is found in talent hotbeds that consistently produce champions.
The notion that high expectations might be advantageous for kids is perhaps a tough sell in the popular culture at present. One potential reason for the aversion to expectations is the fear of putting too much pressure on fledgling performers. A related concern is that high hopes might lead to disappointment. Indeed some may argue that we should not have any expectations at all. In theory this might take the pressure off, but it is also demotivating. If anything it is likely to convey to kids that we do not rate their chances.
In practice, we cannot escape making these judgements and our expectations have important implications either way. When we have certain expectations regarding a young athlete’s future prospects, it is inevitable that this will be reflected in how we interact with them. How we rate their present capabilities and their future potential will determine the standards we set for that individual. In turn, we will respond according to how they are performing relative to those standards and expectations. For instance, when we perceive that they are capable of more we are likely to encourage and challenge them to do better.
In other words, an individual of whom much is expected will be treated in a certain way. Conversely, when we don’t expect much, this will also come across in our dealings with them. Our expectations shape our behaviours and in turn this will likely influence how a young person views themselves and their own future aspirations. Nobody ever rose to low expectations. When kids perform poorly and our response indicates that we expected as much, this is not motivating or aspirational.
In general, kids respond favourably when they are treated as if we think they are capable of more. What is universal among athletes of any age is that they respond to challenge. Individuals who are judged to be have higher potential are more likely to be cajoled to raise their game. It is also more likely that we might express our dissatisfaction when they fall short of what we deemed them to be capable of. This might not be an easy ride but it does encourage kids to bring forth their best.
It is important to acknowledge that parental expectations can be a source of perceived pressure for young performers. We should however note that this pertains to parental expectations regarding competitive outcomes (i.e. winning or meeting a certain standard in competition). Feeling undue pressure or weight of expectations from parents or coaches in this regard can certainly be unhelpful, especially for kids who already put pressure on themselves. Conversely, positive expectations as it relates to elements of the process such as effort, attention, diligence and conduct have no such downsides. In fact, when parents and coaches alike have high expectations in these areas and behave accordingly, this can promote greater accountability and foster a sense of agency.
“Kids rise or fall to the level of our expectations.”
- Professor Roland G. Fryer
When a teacher or coach has certain expectations of an individual, this will be communicated in subtle and not so subtle ways, even if nothing is said explicitly. The expectations expressed shape how kids think about themselves and how they approach their work. Teachers’ ratings of expected progress for each child in the classroom accordingly tend to be reflected in their subsequent performance. Does this reflect an uncanny ability to judge future learning potential, or is there something else going on?
This question was resolved in the classic (and well replicated) study entitled ‘Pygmalion in the classroom’. At the beginning of the school year teachers are given a list of names of kids in the class who they are told have been identified as gifted or high potential based on a fabricated test measure. Miraculously, these kids - who had in fact been selected at random - reliably show accelerated progress over the school year and score significantly higher on end of year standardised tests relative to their peers. At first glance these findings seem surprising but they are easy to explain. The act of singling out certain kids in the new intake as promising would naturally lead the teacher to pay more attention to these individuals, perhaps investing more time and attention. The teacher having a favourable impression of their abilities and potential also makes it more likely that these kids would be encouraged and challenged to a greater degree. Despite being blissfully unaware of the set up, the kids in question respond to this special treatment and dutifully perform to the elevated expectations.
In this way, for good or ill, expectations act as a self-fulfilling prophesy. When we have high expectations of an individual or group we raise the bar commensurately, such that we hold them to a higher standard. Almost invariably, kids respond to this by raising their game and thus justifying the high expectations shown. The converse applies at the other end of the extreme, which is sometimes referred to as the soft bigotry of low expectations when applied to disadvantaged youth. In this scenario we lower the bar and tacictly accept poor performance or lack of effort. Clearly, this is still judgemental. It simply reflects that we have effectively written off the individual or group in question as incapable of doing any better due to an innate lack of ability or inability to overcome their personal circumstances.
Given the stakes and the potential negative consequences, we should take great care not to be dismissive about the future potential of any young athlete. As coaches it is vital that we remain humble about the limits of our ability to identify talent or predict an aspiring young performer’s future trajectory. We might have an inkling of who looks promising but our predictions are frequently proved wrong in either direction. Often the coaches’ picks at junior level simply single out those who are further along on their growth and maturation curve relative to their peers. Some of the biggest stars in sport can tell stories of being written off by coaches or snubbed by selectors early in their journey. What should be more concerning is the host of other prospective talents who took the naysayers at their word or otherwise failed to receive the support and attention that might have made the difference. It takes remarkable self-belief and resourcefulness for a young person to defy the doubters and forge their own path. This would not be necessary if we had more humility and raised our expectations for all those athletes in our care who demonstrate the necessary commitment rather than reserving this only for talents who emerge early on.
A sincere belief in a young person’s potential is enormously powerful and is central to the transformational impact of an outstanding coach or other significant figure in the youth sports journey. When a discerning judge acts like they expect big things of them, this expands the young performer’s horizons and gives them licence to aspire to greater heights, perhaps beyond what they would otherwise have dared imagined.
Finally, high expectations are contagious. When favoured with positive expectations, kids are prompted to revise their own estimations of what they might be capable of. In turn, they are inspired to redouble their efforts to prove themselves worthy of being held in such high regard. Over time this fosters self belief as they start to manifest their potential and they come to expect more of themselves as a result.