I wonder if managing expectations is a hard skill. Thoughts on why it might be:

1. You are committing yourself to create an output that aligns with an expectation.

2. Commitments create risks — people might not like our outputs.

3. Not everyone likes risks.

Here’s the the opposite end thought. By not managing expectations:

1. You are not committing yourself to create an output, therefore no expectation.

2. Because no expectation, people may or may not like what you produce when you produce it.

3. You end up having to deal with the disappointment at the end versus the beginning.

Wouldn’t it be easier to get the hard part over with first?

Perhaps that’s why it’s hard.