Guide 135 / 200 4 alternatives 2-minute read
Better ways to say “Raise the bar”
An Olympic metaphor for "do better."
i · Why avoid itTwo lines, no filler
Once vivid, now tired. "Set a higher standard," "lift expectations," or "aim higher" read plainer and less deck-slidey.
ii · Before & afterDrop-in demo
Before
This quarter we need to raise the bar on support.
After
This quarter we need to lift our support standard.
iii · The alternatives4 ways out
- 01Lift the standard neutral
professional framing
Lift the service standard.
- 02Aim higher neutral
aspirational
Aim higher on retention.
- 03Tighten expectations neutral
performance framing
Tighten what we expect from CS.
- 04Set a higher standard formal
formal memos
Set a higher standard across the team.
iv · Brew tipKeep this one
Say what the new standard is. "Raise the bar" without a number is a pep talk.