The formal German way to say you're raising standards or expectations, borrowed from the literal bar in high jump.
This is the phrase German professionals reach for when they want to demand more. It translates literally to "set the measuring bar higher" — the horizontal bar in high jump or pole vault — but functions as the standard way to say you're raising expectations, tightening requirements, or pushing for better performance.
The athletic metaphor reveals something about German professional culture: improvement is measurable, standards are visible, and progress means clearing increasingly difficult thresholds. This isn't casual conversation or street language. You'll hear it in boardrooms, academic settings, and corporate communications — anywhere formal German speakers discuss ambition and achievement.
What makes this phrase feel distinctly German is how naturally sporting precision translates to professional precision. The image of an actual bar being raised higher — quantifiable, observable, unambiguous — aligns perfectly with cultural values around systematic improvement and clear benchmarks. It's not about inspiring emotion or rallying teams; it's about establishing exactly how much higher the standard now sits.