The Art of Setting Clear Expectations
Cathie Leimbach • October 3, 2023
Being clear about the type of results you want is essential for effective leadership. It provides direction, alignment, and motivation for your team. Here are some tips to help leaders be clear about the results they want:
- Paint a Clear Vision: Create a compelling vision of the desired results. Help your team understand the big picture and why their work matters in achieving that vision.
- Define Specific Goals: Clearly articulate your goals in specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) terms. For example, instead of saying "improve customer satisfaction," specify "increase customer satisfaction scores by 10% in the next quarter."
- Provide Context: Explain the context and the "why" behind the goals. When people understand the reasoning, they are more likely to be engaged and committed to achieving the results.
- Break Down Goals: Divide larger goals into smaller, manageable tasks and milestones. This makes it easier for your team to see the path to success and stay motivated along the way.
- Set Key Performance Indicators (KPIs): Identify key metrics and KPIs that will measure progress toward the desired results. Share these metrics with your team so they can track their performance.
- Prioritize: Clearly define which results are most important and should be prioritized. This helps your team focus their efforts on what matters most.
Being clear about the specific results you want will help your team stay focused, motivated, and aligned toward achieving team and organizational goals.
An empty workstation gets your attention. What caused it should keep your attention. When attendance becomes a problem, the first response is often to review the policy, document the absence, or find someone to cover the shift. Those things may be necessary. But they don't tell you why the problem is happening. A conversation might. Instead of starting with “Why do you keep calling off?” try “I've noticed you've missed several days recently. What’s going on?” Then listen. You may hear about something outside of work. But you may also discover frustration with a supervisor, conflict with a coworker, unclear expectations, scheduling difficulties, or an employee who no longer feels valued. Understanding the reason doesn't mean ignoring attendance expectations. It means you know what you're actually dealing with. Also, look for patterns. Is absenteeism higher on one shift? In one department? Under one supervisor? Did it increase after a schedule or leadership change? Those patterns may tell you where another conversation needs to happen. Most importantly, don't wait until attendance becomes a disciplinary issue to start talking. Check in with employees. Ask what's making their work harder. Ask what they need from their supervisor. And when someone raises a concern or makes a suggestion, be sure to tell them what action you are taking or why their idea won’t be implemented. The goal isn't to eliminate accountability. It's to address problems before accountability is the only conversation left. Conversation is Where Leadership Happens™ You Don't Need to Go It Alone. Bring your workplace people challenges to the FREE Workplace Conversations Clinic on September 21. Gain insights from Cathie Leimbach and other attendees. Register here for the FREE Workplace Conversations Clinic
Absenteeism is expensive. Every unexpected absence costs more than a day's wages. Someone else may need to work overtime. Priorities get reshuffled, service slows, projects fall behind, and customers notice. Before long, absenteeism starts taking money right out of your pocket. That's why many organizations turn to attendance policies, incentives, disciplinary action, or tighter oversight. But what if those approaches are addressing the symptom rather than what's really going on? Most people don't wake up one morning and suddenly decide they don't care about their work. Disengagement usually happens gradually. People stop sharing ideas. They stop feeling heard. They begin doing only what's required. Eventually, some stop showing up. By the time absenteeism is brought to your attention, the real issue may have been growing for weeks—or even months. If absenteeism has become a recurring challenge, don't just ask, "How do we reduce call-offs?" Instead, ask "What happened before people stopped wanting to show up?" That question may lead you somewhere an attendance report never will—and may ultimately save far more than overtime costs. Attendance problems. Accountability. Difficult conversations. Team conflict. Every leader faces workplace people challenges, and few have been taught exactly what to do when they arise. Talking through your challenges with others can be helpful. Ask questions of your network. Get some ideas online. Sometimes another perspective is exactly what you need to see the situation differently. You Don't Need to Go It Alone. Bring your workplace people challenges to the FREE Workplace Conversations Clinic on August 17. Gain insights from Cathie Leimbach and other attendees as you explore practical ways to handle the situations you're facing. Register here for the FREE Workplace Conversations Clinic
