Course 2, Discussion 3: High Expectations and High Warmth
Congrats! You made it the second course in the LDP! In this course, we focus on the specific interpersonal skills needed to be a strong leader on 7 Cups, including mastery of communication skills, time management, conflict resolution, stress management and empowering new leaders.
I know if you are here, you have read our values and culture guide. I would like to start off by further emphasizing one value that's required for a leader to be successful here, and that is balancing High Expectations & High Warmth.
Work environments with high expectations and minimal warmth tend to result in companies that are very driven, rule-oriented and risk-averse. The people do not tend to grow as much personally or professionally. On the other hand, workplaces that are high in warmth, but have minimal expectations, tend to struggle. Everyone is happy and feels loved, but not a lot of effective or focused work gets done.
7 Cups is high expectations AND high warmth. We expect a lot from you. You might feel like we think you are more capable than other people have suggested or maybe even more capable than how you see yourself. That is okay. Every person on the team has outperformed and done better than they expected. This is largely because warmth, patience, and trust help people make much more progress than they have in other environments. We have high expectations, but we will provide plenty of encouragement and guidance to help you get there.
✒️ What do you think happens if you, a 7 Cups leader, have an imbalance of expectations and warmth?
✒️ How do you think having too low of expectations, or too little warmth, will impact 1.) the community, and 2.) impact how you work with your fellow leaders?
✒️ Please reply to at least 1 of your peers in this thread with encouraging or supportive words!
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@FrenchToast
1 What do you think happens if you, a 7 Cups leader, have an imbalance of expectations and warmth?
When a leader has an imbalance of expectations and warmth, it can affect their effectiveness and the team's morale in several ways
*It can create a stressful environment where team members feel pressured and unsupported.
*The lack of warmth may lead to reduced trust.Team members might feel that their contributions are undervalued or that they are merely being judged by their performance rather than supported and developed.
2 How do you think having too low of expectations, or too little warmth, will impact 1.) the community, and 2.) impact how you work with your fellow leaders?
Having low warmth and low expectations leads to lack of engagement and Poor performance
As a leader, exhibiting both low warmth and low expectations can affect my interactions and relationships with other leaders leading to limited collaboration, diminished influence and negative perception about my ability as a leader
@Dorcas00
Indeed!
@FrenchToast
So, if my expectations are too low, the community might lose its spark. People might start to feel like there’s no real goal to work towards, and the vibe could just turn kind of “meh.” Without a challenge, folks might not feel as motivated to grow—or at least that’s how I see it.
But, if you’re all about expectations and forget to show some warmth, the community might not feel all that welcoming. It’s like being seen as someone just ticking boxes instead of a real person. I remember this movie where leaders treated their team like numbers, not names, and honestly, that just feels so wrong.
Impact on Fellow Leaders:
When it comes to other leaders, low expectations can lead to everyone just coasting along. If no one’s pushing for better, the whole team might not reach its full potential. It creates this vibe where doing just enough becomes the norm, which isn’t great for anyone, right?
And if there’s not enough warmth, working with other leaders can get a bit rough. People need to feel supported and understood, not just held to some standard. Without that warmth, collaboration might suffer, and communication could start feeling more like criticism than helpful feedback.
I really think it’s all about finding that balance. When you nail it, you end up with a community that’s both motivated and supportive, and a leadership team that really works well together!
@NeonDragon I really like how you worded it, losing the spark 🖤
@FrenchToast
What do you think happens if you, a 7 Cups leader, have an imbalance of expectations and warmth?
I feel like if it’s not balanced it’s hard to know what to expect, giving too much and not finding that balance can make you burn out and not have the balance instead of giving too much in one specific aspect then you won’t have the warmth for everyone else.
✒️ How do you think having too low of expectations, or too little warmth, will impact 1.) the community, and 2.) impact how you work with your fellow leaders?
The community will not know what to expect from you as it can go from one way or the other and with leaders, it will make it hard to count on one another when it’s unreliable, like a teeter totter being fully one way or the other
@Onyx000
i really liked the similar you used in the last line. Very creative 😊
@FrenchToast
✒️ What do you think happens if you, a 7 Cups leader, have an imbalance of expectations and warmth?
As I understand, expectations helps set goals and take initiatives towards fulfilling it, while Warmth fosters a thriving environment for implementation, striking a balance between the both is crucial for the overall success.
If I as a leader fail to maintain balance between the both, then the resulting consequences would either be an underperforming team with no clear set guidelines due to lower expectations and higher warmth or a overpressured workforce who couldn't reach their full potential in a rigid environment caused by higher expectations and lower warmth.
✒️ How do you think having too low of expectations, or too little warmth, will impact 1.) the community, and 2.) impact how you work with your fellow leaders?
Having too little expectations result in a lack of structure or clear defined goals leading to stagnation whereas, too little warmth makes the leader inapproachable for the community and fellow leaders.
@Alambo905
i agree with you
@FrenchToast
✒️ What do you think happens if you, a 7 Cups leader, have an imbalance of expectations and warmth?
Personally I think if a leader were to have an imbalance of expectations and warmth it would lead to the employees performing significantly lower than their fullest potential this is because the lack of expectations makes it hard for them to push their boundaries and try to make an effort and a lack of warmth can lead to them feeling stressed overwhelmed and eventually lead to them disliking 7 cups which would also lower their performance
✒️ How do you think having too low of expectations, or too little warmth, will impact 1.) the community, and 2.) impact how you work with your fellow leaders?
1. If we consider the community I would say that the lack of warmth would cause a distance in the community leading to separation. I also think the community would start to dislike the position. The lack of expectations would cause the community to not perform as well as they could because there is no one to nudge them in this direction to help them see their own capabilities.
2. The fellow leaders would feel negative to work with someone who is not warm and this would affect these relationships negatively which isolates the individual. The lack of expectations can also lead to the same issue
@radiantUnicorn3506
These are great responses. You have to have warmth in this field.
✒️ What do you think happens if you, a 7 Cups leader, have an imbalance of expectations and warmth?
I won't be in the optimal setting to thrive as a leader on 7 Cups.
✒️ How do you think having too low of expectations, or too little warmth, will impact 1.) the community, and 2.) impact how you work with your fellow leaders?
1. If you have low expectations, you're not likely to advance or succeed in your endeavors and will probably not have the impact you desire on the 7 Cups community.
2. Low expectations and little warmth will most likely lead to poor interpersonal relationships and teamwork.
@FrenchToast
@LovelyKittyCat
Just wanted to give a shout-out to you! Your support is like the secret ingredient that makes our team’s efforts so effective and enjoyable.
@FrenchToast
✒️ What do you think happens if you, a 7 Cups leader, have an imbalance of expectations and warmth?
If a 7 Cups leader has an imbalance between expectations and warmth, it’s a bit like trying to cook a meal without the right recipe. Too many expectations without enough warmth might turn the atmosphere into a pressure cooker—lots of steam but not much appetite for the work. On the flip side, too much warmth with low expectations might feel like a cozy kitchen where nothing gets cooked—everyone’s happy, but we’re not really getting anywhere.
✒️ How do you think having too low of expectations, or too little warmth, will impact 1.) the community, and 2.) impact how you work with your fellow leaders?
Impact on the Community: If expectations are too low or warmth is lacking, the community might feel like they’re in a lukewarm bath—nice, but not stimulating enough for real growth or change. Members might feel unsupported or uninspired, which can dampen their enthusiasm and engagement.
Impact on Fellow Leaders: Working with fellow leaders in such an environment could be like trying to row a boat with uneven paddles. Low expectations might lead to complacency, while high expectations without warmth could foster unnecessary stress and competition rather than teamwork and mutual support.
I like the idea of lukewarm baths or uneven paddles; it really emphasizes the idea that we need to have balance, and the balance can come from having equal (and relatively high) levels of expectations and warmth together. Thanks for sharing!
@FrenchToast
✒️What do you think happens if you, a 7 Cups leader, have an imbalance of expectations and warmth?
Having too low of expectations can lead to a disengaged community, where members feel unchallenged and unmotivated. They may not invest in their growth or contributions, resulting in a stagnant environment. On the other hand, having too little warmth can create an uninviting atmosphere, making members hesitant to share their feelings or seek support. This lack of connection can hinder participation and trust within the community.
✒️ How do you think having too low of expectations, or too little warmth, will impact 1.) the community, and 2.) impact how you work with your fellow leaders?
For fellow leaders, low expectations may lead to complacency, where leaders don’t feel inspired to push for improvement or collaborate effectively. Similarly, insufficient warmth can foster competition rather than cooperation, making it difficult to communicate and support each other.
✒️ Please reply to at least 1 of your peers in this thread with encouraging or supportive words!
Encouraging Response to a Peer:
Hey, I really value your insights on this topic! You highlighted the importance of warmth beautifully. It’s amazing how a positive atmosphere can make such a difference. Keep up the great work—your contributions are making a real impact!
@CalmNature6200
I completely agree with your take on this topic and think that you have communicated some great points. Good job!
@FrenchToast
✒️ What do you think happens if you, a 7 Cups leader, have an imbalance of expectations and warmth?
imbalance of expectations and warmth affect the productivity, work environment; 7 cups values, the leader achievements
✒️ How do you think having too low of expectations, or too little warmth, will impact 1.) the community, and 2.) impact how you work with your fellow leaders?
low expectations will lead you to lack motivation, slow growth besides little warmth that impacts communication, will miss encouragement and guidance .
I think if I have an imbalance of expectations and warmth I would not be able to succeed well and would also not be able to have connections in the community. Too high expectations and little warmth can lead to being calloused and minimal connections, too low expectations with high warmth leads to increased connections but not getting work done. To be a leader on 7 Cups you need to both have connections and get work done, requiring a balance of the two.
Having too low expectations or too little warmth will lead you to not have a strong community and might both lead to divisions within the 7 Cups community (or between you and the community) or between you and other leaders. You need to be performing well and also creating a community to best benefit the community and support other leaders, so therefore, you must have high expectations and high warmth.
