BP, Obama, and the Art of Managing Expectations

The feud between Obama and BP reminds me of the importance of managing expectations. It's an important part of leadership, and neither party is doing a good job. And we don't need pundits or experts to tell us this.

The gusher in the Gulf has been spewing for almost two months, and it doesn't seem like we're any closer to a solution. But the lack of a solution isn't the problem. No, the problem is that we keep expecting a solution, and fairly soon.

I can only hope that leaders across the business community are doing a better job of managing expectations.

First, Obama. The federal government doesn't have, has never had, and probably never will have, the expertise to solve this problem. So, why didn't Obama just come out and say so from the get-go?

Most people would have accepted that this is BP's problem and that solving it is, as Obama said about another issue, above his pay grade. The government will handle the clean-up and containment, things they're equipped to do.

As for BP, here's what a close friend of mine, who is in the industry, had to say: "BP has been wasting 100’s of millions on the ‘top kill’, caps, etc. Everyone in the business knows these will not work and BP has only been doing it to show govt. and people that they’re trying something---all for nothing. There are dozens of blowouts every year and very few (like in the John Wayne movie ‘Hellfighters’) can be stopped without relief well."

So BP should have told us, that with their experience, the best course of action is to do the relief wells even if that takes 12 months. I know nobody orders black crude with their day at the beach, so we wouldn't be happy with the situation, but at least we'd know the score.

What can we learn from this? Regardless of the situation, or the nature of the catastrophe, be up front and honest from the beginning. People may still be mad, but not nearly as mad as when they find that their expectations aren't being met, and didn't have a hope of being met all along.

Our job as leaders, especially in times of trouble, is to manage expectations.