Feeling that our work inspires confidence and sets a benchmark is one of the greatest boosts we can experience in our day-to-day lives. But what happens when the expectations placed on us, and those we place on ourselves, outweigh the human complexities that make us who we are? What people expect of us can be a force that drives our motivation or, conversely, something that constrains our professional growth, as numerous psychological theories have shown.
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In his Metamorphoses, the Roman poet Ovid recorded the myth of Pygmalion, King of Cyprus, who had spent years searching for a wife. So high were his expectations that he ultimately decided never to marry, choosing instead to channel his time into sculpting statues of perfect women. One of these statues was so beautiful that Pygmalion fell deeply in love with it—so much so that the goddess Aphrodite eventually brought it to life, transforming it into a human being. Galatea, as the statue-turned-woman was named, has long stood as an emblem of the power of trust and expectations, since it was Pygmalion’s intense love that made her real.
This effect is easily spotted in our everyday working lives: if our colleagues or managers trust that we can deliver—and show that trust through their words or actions—we are far more likely to feel motivated and, consequently, to perform well. Psychologists such as Albert Bandura and Victor Vroom demonstrated precisely this. In his Expectancy Theory, Vroom explained that expectation, closely tied to self-efficacy, was one of three core components required to achieve a motivated state in an organisational environment. Higher motivation leads to better results, and better results feed back into higher motivation.
When well directed, a Pygmalion effect built on constructive feedback and a leadership style that rewards success rather than punishing mistakes also improves the workplace atmosphere and our capacity to learn. Trust, as the sociologist Robert K. Merton noted, is a self-reinforcing cycle. He coined the term “the Matthew effect” to describe how those who already possess something are far more likely to retain and build on it than those who have never had it in the first place.
The myth of Pygmalion and Galatea has long stood as an emblem of the power of expectations and trust.
Galatea, Expectancy Theory, the Matthew effect… these psychological concepts share a common thread: expectation; the act of forming an image of someone that falls short of reality, springing instead from the idea we have built of them in our own minds. Although positive thinking and high expectations carry undeniable weight, placing too much emphasis on them can easily backfire.
Everything runs smoothly as long as performance remains high, but the moment a mistake occurs or a disappointment hits, frustration sets in. Moving from a mindset of trust to a constant fear of being let down can have a far more damaging impact than we might think. The Golem effect illustrates how low expectations from leadership translate directly into lower motivation and poorer performance. Distrusting the people in our organization, or doubting our own capabilities, does not make us pay closer attention. On the contrary, it leads to weaker problem-solving skills, less drive to act, and poorer outcomes.
It becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy, a term coined by sociologist Robert K. Merton to describe events that occur simply because we anticipate them. To put it plainly, this negative motivation is like shooting ourselves in the foot.
A self-fulfilling prophecy refers to those outcomes that happen simply because we expect them to.
Yet the myth of Pygmalion and Galatea also illustrates the danger of placing too much weight on expectations, no matter how well intentioned they may be. Variations of the story, such as the musical My Fair Lady, reveal the consequences of projecting a specific image onto another person, and the inevitable disappointment when they fail to fit that mould.
No matter how flawless someone’s track record may appear, we must not forget that everyone is susceptible to a mistake, a bad day, or a rough patch. Looking for the human side of work means accepting errors and differences of opinion; otherwise, we risk sliding into toxic positivity.
At the end of the day, we are neither Galateas nor Golems, but complex human beings who need to feel valued and supported without being overwhelmed. We must also remember that no psychological theory applies to everyone at all times. It is within this balance, a thoroughly Aristotelian middle ground, that we find the true key to sustainable workplace motivation.
Dalia Alonso holds a degree in Classical Philology from the University of Oviedo. Her writing reflects a thoughtful approach to major social and business challenges. She is currently an editor at Ethic magazine, where she covers topics such as leadership, productivity, and social and workplace transformation. She has also worked in strategic communications and storytelling for various organisations, helping to craft narratives that resonate with corporate values.