Managing Expectations...

One of the most unusual things about modern politics that seems to have gained acceptance is the idea of managing expectations.
The ongoing build up to the US Election is a great example of this, but we there are many instances in the US.
Immediately prior to any vote both sides will be overcome with fits of depression and self-deprecation. No one is confident of victory, no one talks about wiping out their opponents- everything is said to be marginal and everyone is the underdog.
Of course there are very good psychological reasons for doing so. If you do better than expected you can gain momentum- both for future elections and in office.
No one likes arrogance and voters are often turned-off by tough talk. There is also the danger that your own voters will not bother and will stay at home.
The media too are likely to attack any campaign for being too honest about its prospects. Barack Obama's campaign has been accused of naivety in making some positive predictions in the past, whilst ham fisted lies, such as those Alistair Campbell specialised in to make elections seem closer, are usually depicted as cunning and shrewd.
The trouble with this is that we end up carrying these assumptions on into government. Talking down our prospects, talking up the barriers and finding any possible excuse to fail. All of this makes for a safe and well insulated government. Safe? Maybe. Honest? Questionably. What people want? I doubt it.
There is a certain honest beauty in putting aside all of these mind games. So what if we have to do better if people expect more of us? Let's not manage expectations- lets do better!
Let's not play the hero- let's be genuinely heroic. Let's not keep lowering the bar and congratulating ourselves for our lilliputian achievements. Let us cast the bar up as high as we can possibly imagine- We can reach it.