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Clarify Team Expectations

RESEARCH INDICATES that leaders who set clearly defined expectations and agreed-on levels of performance are more likely to get positive results than leaders who don’t.

This is an essential concept for you and your team. It seems so obvious, but think about it for a moment: What does your boss think of the work you are doing? Are your best interests at heart? Are expectations explicitly stated? Now, returning to your department and those who work for you, what are the perceptions of your team members? Are they shared perceptions? In other words, what would they think of the statements in “Box 2. Clear Expectations”? Would they respond with disagreement, neutrality, or agreement?

Could members of your team answer these questions with confidence? In our experience, for many supervisors, the answer may be no. Your team needs to know your expectations, goals, vision, and, most important, how each individual adds value. Better yet, develop these as a group. This may seem over the top, but in the end, people support what they help create. This tip will help you gain commitment, not simply compliance. The more your team members are part of developing group norms, the more they will buy in to them.