Do Your Employees Know Your Expectations?
Cathie Leimbach • September 16, 2020
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Years ago, when I was participating in an exchange program to Britain, I was unclear about how to meet my host’s expectations. She asked me to make cucumber sandwiches and handed me bread, butter, cucumbers, and the necessary kitchen tools. I asked her how she wanted me to make them and was told it was up to me.
My only experience with cucumber sandwiches had been at High Tea. The bread had been cut in dainty circles, spread with cream cheese, and topped with a cucumber slice. But my host hadn’t provided a round cookie cutter nor cream cheese. And I thought it strange to put slices of cucumber between two slices of bread. My host left the kitchen and I proceeded to make basic open-faced cucumber sandwiches with quartered slices of buttered bread and a couple of cucumber slices. When she returned, her quizzical facial expression showed this wasn’t what she had in mind.
She was expecting cucumber slices between two slices of buttered bread. She didn’t care whether I buttered the bread or sliced the cucumber first, nor whether the sandwiches were cut into two or four pieces. She had empowered me to make the sandwiches HOW I wished but had assumed that I knew WHAT a cucumber sandwich looked like to her.
Similarly, many employees report that they struggle to meet workplace expectations because they don’t know what their supervisor or the company expects from them. They don’t know if fulfilling 20 takeout orders per hour or calling 75 prospects per day is considered good performance. The sales rep may not know what to do when they get voicemail; do they leave a message or not?
Effective managers are very clear. Each staff member knows what they are expected to accomplish each day. The manager communicates what the staff are to achieve, the volume of work to be accomplished, and the required quality standards.
Providing a very specific description of the results staff are expected to achieve, is essential in developing high performing team members. Start with one result you want that at least one staff person is not pulling off. Show and tell that individual the exact outcome you are looking for. Then, ask them to state your expectations so you can see if your explanation was adequate.
Until they can list all of your expectations - that is, they can accurately describe WHAT the desired result is - they won’t be able to achieve the results you are seeking. The ball is in your court, manager!
A toxic workplace can make even the best job feel like a nightmare. When negativity takes over, it creates serious problems that affect everyone involved. Lower Productivity and Performance - When employees feel stressed, unappreciated, or constantly criticized, their work quality drops. People spend more time worrying about drama than focusing on their tasks. This means projects take longer to finish, and the company's overall results suffer. Workers who feel beaten down simply can't give their best effort. High Employee Turnover - Nobody wants to stay in a place where they feel miserable. Toxic environments cause good employees to quit and look for better opportunities elsewhere. This creates a costly cycle where companies constantly need to hire and train new people. The remaining staff gets overworked trying to cover for those who left. Mental Health Problems - Toxic workplaces take a real toll on people's well-being. Employees often experience increased stress, anxiety, and even depression. This doesn't just hurt them at work – it affects their personal lives too. When people dread going to work every day, it impacts their relationships and overall happiness. To consider whether your culture might be toxic and what you can do about it, click here to learn about 8 Signs of a Toxic Culture and suggestions for overcoming the negativity. Having a positive workplace culture isn't just nice to have – it's essential for success. What action could you take to create a healthier workplace culture?
Herminia Ibarra’s research offers compelling insight into why leadership development should be viewed as a strategic priority. Her work shows that helping leaders grow isn’t just beneficial for individuals—it significantly improves how organizations operate and perform. Ibarra explores how leadership identity evolves over time. When managers step back from daily tasks and begin thinking and acting more strategically, it creates ripple effects across the organization. Teams become more engaged, decision-making improves, and execution becomes more effective. These shifts enhance productivity, innovation, and retention—key drivers of long-term success. Her research also highlights the value of building strong leadership pipelines. Companies that invest in leaders who are adaptable, self-aware, and skilled at big-picture thinking tend to be more agile and resilient. These organizations are better equipped to respond to change and seize new opportunities. By reframing leadership development as a strategic investment rather than a soft skill, Ibarra shows how it creates measurable improvements in performance across the organization. Growth in leadership capacity leads to smarter decisions, healthier cultures, and stronger overall results. 👉 For a deeper dive into the data, click here to view Insights from Herminia Ibarra’s Research on Leadership Development and its Measurable Impact.