The Most Expensive Thing a Leader Can Give a Team Is Low Expectations

Once someone runs the four-minute mile, everyone else has a new standard

In 1954, Roger Bannister became the first person to run a mile in under four minutes. For years, people questioned whether it was even possible. Once he did it, other runners followed, and suddenly a record that once seemed out of reach became a new standard.

I’ve always loved that story because I believe we’re all capable of more than we realize. Sometimes, seeing someone else accomplish something extraordinary is exactly what we need to push ourselves further.

We’re experiencing something similar at Pilates Addiction.

Over the past several months, we’ve watched franchise owners break one record after another. An owner sets a new presale record, and a few weeks later, another owner surpasses it. Then someone else comes along and raises the bar again. Each time, the excitement builds, and so do the expectations across our system.

What’s been especially rewarding is watching how our owners respond to each other’s success. They’re showing up for grand openings, sharing strategies, comparing notes and celebrating one another’s achievements. There’s a genuine sense of pride in seeing the entire brand succeed, and I believe that kind of culture makes everyone better.

It’s also reinforced something I’ve always believed about leadership: People rise to the standards you set, especially when you believe in their ability to reach them.

Here is my take: low expectations are the most expensive thing a leader can give a team. They feel kind and they cost nothing today, but they cap everything that follows. Our owners are proof of what happens when the bar goes up and the support goes up with it.

I have high expectations for myself and for the people I work with. I believe in showing up prepared, taking ownership, following through and always looking for ways to improve. I expect the same commitment from the people around me because I know what can happen when talented, driven individuals are encouraged to reach their full potential.

That starts with leading by example. Your team sees how you handle challenges, how you treat people, how hard you’re willing to work and how you respond when things don’t go according to plan. Those everyday decisions shape the culture of an organization.

And when you expect excellence, you have to invest in helping people achieve it. That means providing the right resources, being available when someone needs guidance, having honest conversations and recognizing the effort that goes into achieving great results.

I’ve seen how much confidence grows when people realize they’re capable of exceeding their own expectations. An owner who once viewed a certain membership target as ambitious now sees another owner surpass it and starts thinking about what they can accomplish in their own market. They take what they’ve learned, put their own ideas to work and often end up setting another record.

That momentum is contagious.

I want every owner in our system to feel proud of what they’re building and excited about what comes next. To learn from one another, challenge themselves and keep finding ways to improve their businesses, their teams and the experiences they create for their members.

And if there’s one thing our franchise owners have reminded me of lately, it’s that every time someone raises the bar, they give everyone else a reason to reach higher.

Bannister proved that. Before him, the four-minute mile was a limit. After him, it was a starting line. That is what high expectations do, and it is why I will never hand my team low ones.

Sarah Luna is the founder and CEO of Pilates Addiction.