Business leaders have numerous tasks. They have their own list of things they need to do, but they also have to oversee their employees’ work. They have to make sure that employees have the tools they need to complete the tasks necessary.
Leaders need to set clear expectations for each team member. If they do not know what you need them to do or what you want them to do, then this can lead to frustration and, in many cases, working below expectations. What can be done, then, to help individuals work at their best? It starts with creating clear employee expectations.
Let’s look at a few of the most important ways to improve employee expectations to achieve results.
#1: Ensure Objectives Link to Organizational Goals
A good starting point is to be sure that all objectives are clearly defined. Take that one step further. Be sure that they connect to the overall goals of the organization. When you make this connection, you ensure that employees understand what is expected and why. They learn how their contributions lead to the organization’s benefit on a larger scale. It is also important to add measurable results to this. That way, your team can measure how well they are working towards their goals and how they can better work to meet them.
#2: Know Each Employee’s Skill Set
Martin Rowinski from Boardsi offers a bit of help, noting, “To set expectations, it is necessary to understand the skill set for each employee. If you do not know what they can accomplish, you cannot create effective expectations for them. If you do not do this, you are setting them up for failure.”
It is also important to define the goals and then provide a clear strategy for reaching them. Use examples of how employees can reach those goals. It is also important to be open to questions from employees as this can help them avoid making mistakes and put them on the road toward success.
#3: Allow for Feedback
Setting expectations may seem like something you are doing alone. It is necessary to be clear and to provide very precise expectations. At the same time, you need to also be sure that you allow your team to ask questions and provide feedback. This is a good way to fine tune the process and ensures messaging is coming through properly.
#4: Provide the Time and Resources to Reach Goals
Setting expectations is important, but it is also just as important to have the time and resources in place for employees to achieve their goals. If they do not have those resources, they cannot be kept to the expectations set. Many people today become overwhelmed when their to-do list becomes unmanageable, and that leads to a breakdown in getting anything done. Be sure there are expectations in place for what needs to be prioritized when there are limitations in resources, especially time.
#5: Write Down Those Expectations
It is not enough to put expectations into a conversation with an employee. Rather, it is essential to get that information in writing. Be sure that everyone agrees on what success will look like, and then write down the details of how that will happen. That way, everyone is on the same page, and there is a clear outline of what to expect.
#6: Work Together to Create Expectations
Another key opportunity comes from sitting down to create expectations together. Instead of creating simple requirements and assuming teams can meet them, work with each employee individually to determine what their expectations are. Sometimes this may help them learn more about what’s expected, but it also may help ensure that they agree to the outcome. It can also help leaders better understand any struggles or limitations that may be present. That way, you can tackle problems together to achieve the best result.
#7: Set Up Time to Go Over Outcomes
It is also important for organizations to have regular meetings with employees to help go over what is occurring and get feedback. Giving and receiving feedback on an ongoing basis like this may be critical to ensuring that your team is constantly working towards their goals and expectations. Keeping everyone aligned and working towards the same goals is a big part of success for all involved.
#8: Provide Proper Incentives
When expectations are high, or you are challenging your team to do work that may be more than what was originally expected, it may be important to put bonuses or other incentives in place. Be sure that there are clear details about the expectations and the bonuses that will be provided – and ensure that there is ample follow through on this. That can help to motivate individuals to continue to reach their goals.
#9: Keep Them Front of Mind
Do not expect employees to remember or focus on expectations. Be sure to overcommunicate them. Sometimes it may seem like a ridiculous situation, but constant reminders in different ways help to show people that these expectations are important.
#10: Incorporate Multiple Methods of Learning
Each person learns how to do things in different ways. It can be very helpful, then, to provide information about expectations and teach them about them in various ways. That may help people who learn differently gain more of the insight they need.
Working through each of these steps can help leaders achieve their goals while keeping employees on track.
