When they do good work they need to have their performance reinforced quickly. And when they're off track they must be redirected just as quickly. Deficiencies in feedback are one of the prime causes of poor performance. Most people will work hard to hit a standard if they understand it. And expectations that are spelled out are often too low.
High expectations create focus and urgency.
They fight off complacency and cause people to stretch. People cannot be aggressive when they're confused. Specify clearly what you expect, by when and make sure what you're asking for is high enough to cause others to stretch and don't induce them to coast or nap. People are not disposable. They are the most valuable assets in your business and often it is management's failure to address these five areas that narrows their vision, shrinks their thinking and conditions them to mediocrity.