Why its important to go above and beyond

Many of us are focused on meeting expectations, but that might be the wrong target.

Think about a time when someone went above and beyond your expectation. It might have been at work, or at a restaurant, or in a local shop. Each and everyone of you already has a time playing back in your head.

Out-sized credibility

Here’s the peculiar thing, you remember it long after it happened. So rare is the exception, it sticks in your mind. The person or place where this happened has gained out-sized credibility in your mind, for what was probably quite a simple exchange. Don't you want your project stakeholders to have the same association with you?

When you go above and beyond in your project, something similar happens. You get noticed because it's rare. You gain an immediate and out-sized increase in credibility from one simple act. On a project, credibility buys you time, influence and forgiveness when things go wrong. Most projects need those things at some point.

We trust those who excel

Think back to your own above-and-beyond experience. If you went back to that establishment, or that person and next time they suggested that you purchase something different, or try something a different way - would you be more likely, or less likely, to listen to them? Would you be more likely, or less likely to take their advice?

More likely. Right?

When someone has gone above and beyond for us, we believe they have our best interests at heart. We trust them more. Trust is normally built up over time and multiple interactions. That trust is accelerated when those interactions go above and beyond.

The same happens on your project. Deliver something unexpected, give an early value-add, go above and beyond and you will be trusted quicker and trusted more. This gives you the ability to challenge the bigger challenges, offer an opinion in areas where your opinion hasn't been sought before, or suggest alternatives to current practices. When you have more trust, you can get involved in these things, which in turn continue to add even more value.

We are all dopamine junkies

When you make someone feel good, they release dopamine. Dopamine makes you feel good. And it's addictive. If someone got a dopamine hit from something you did, they are naturally predisposed to create the environment for a repeat effect. Dopamine is a drug and it makes them do this.

In your project, delivering above and beyond will create a favorable interaction and the receiver will want to repeat that. This is your chance to ask for something, especially if that something has the opportunity to create another above-and-beyond result.

These above and beyond interactions do not need to be serendipitous. You can plan for them. You can prepare for where and how you will exceed an expectation, or deliver something positive and unexpected. Planning to exceed, still gets you all the benefits we've discussed. So don't just plan your project deliverables. Plan to deliver more and reap the associated benefits too.