Crystal Clear And Aligned Expectations
Article | Accountability Insights
Most of us do an “okay” job of letting people know what we expect of them. When it’s really important, we usually do a “better” job by working harder to make sure people know what we expect. However, when it comes to expectations that absolutely must be met (i.e., no excuse deliverables), nothing but “crystal clear and aligned” will do. For some people, forming “crystal clear and aligned” expectations may be easy, but for most of us, it’s not.
The work of forming “crystal clear and aligned” expectations begins with becoming much more conscious and deliberate about the process. First and foremost, the expectation must be formed in a way that makes the deliverable clearly understood by everyone. Managers and leaders can always form expectations on their own, but “crystal clear and aligned” expectations are always formed through collaboration with those involved in making it happen. Only mutually understood and agreed upon expectations can get people fully committed to getting the job done. So, how are you doing when it comes to forming “crystal clear and aligned” expectations? Answer “Yes” or “No” to the following questions to find out.
| • | Do you wonder why the people you depend on just don’t seem to get it? | |
| • | Are you often disappointed with the results people deliver and routinely ask the question, “How did that happen?” | |
| • | Does your team sometimes feel that they waste time working on things you ask them to do because your priorities keep changing? | |
| • | Are the people you work closest with unable to articulate what is most important to you with any degree of clarity or certainty? | |
| • | Do you tend to understate what you are really asking people to do because you don’t want to strain relationships? | |
| • | Do you assume that your team already has the vision of what needs to be done and, as a result, you don’t take the needed time to form specific expectations? | |
| • | Are you frequently re-explaining or further clarifying what it is you really want? |
If you replied “Yes” to one or more of the above statements, then there’s room for improvement. For more information about clearly forming your expectations so that everyone you depend upon understands exactly what needs to happen, we invite you to join the Accountability Community by visiting www.partnersinleadership.com, where you can review actual client case studies.
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