Tips and Strategies for Setting Clear Expectations for your Employees

Cathie Leimbach • October 12, 2021

One of the most important roles you have as a manager is to set clear expectations for employee performance. Frustration and lowered performance frequently occur when you believe that your employees know what to do, but instead, they are looking for direction and clarity.

 

Your employees will appreciate knowing they are on the right track, or alternatively, exactly what they need to improve. Most employees appreciate knowing what to do and why. And they are less engaged when they do not have a clear understanding of what is required.

 

  • When developing expectations for performance, collaboration is critical. Your employees know best what the roadblocks to their success are. Allowing each employee to provide feedback and ask questions will increase clarity.

 

  • Have regular performance feedback sessions outside of your company’s formal review process, and make sure that performance expectations are in writing as well as shared verbally. 

 

  • Provide the purpose of each task and why it impacts the overall success of the company.

 

  • Determine what your expectations are. Include the why. And make sure they are clear and concise. For example:

o  Complete projects by a specific deadline so that the rest of your team can move forward with their tasks.

o  Follow up with clients within two business days, which will increase our client satisfaction.

o  Have a positive attitude, be open to feedback, and demonstrate a willingness to take input from your team members. This will create an environment where each team member can contribute to the overall project.

 

  • Minimize confusion by being crystal clear. Clearly communicate what is needed for success. For example,

o  Ensure new hires receive expectations in writing and take the time to get input and feedback to assure understanding.

o  Meet with each employee to discuss expectations, ask for feedback, and encourage questions.

o  Ensure that each employee understands your expectations and why they are essential.

 

  • Provide examples of why your expectations are important.  This will help each employee see how their performance fits into the bigger picture and help them feel their work matters.

o  Communicate why the expectations being set are important.

o  Break down the why of each expectation to minimize confusion.

o  Help each employee see how both they and the company benefit when they meet or exceed your expectations.

o  Being on time for work ensures operations run smoothly.

o  Keeping to project deadlines helps other team members complete their required work.

o  Displaying a positive attitude minimizes stress and keeps morale up among your team.

 

  • Get an agreement and a commitment from each employee.

o  Make sure that each of your employees understands and agrees to the expectations for their performance.

o  Document the expectations being outlined.

o  When performance falls below expectations, follow up immediately with the employee rather than wait for a formal review. This will help your employee understand the importance of their commitment and get on track in a timely manner.

 

Each of your employees wants to do a good job, understand how to be successful, and feel that their work and contribution matter. Setting clear expectations, getting buy-in from each employee, and providing consistent feedback will increase performance and employee engagement.

Trust-Building Conversations

By Cathie Leimbach • June 30, 2026
Most workplace tension doesn't come from major conflicts. It comes from too few conversations. A disappointment that was never discussed. A broken agreement that was never repaired. Appreciation that was never expressed. Over time, these "withholds" create friction that slows collaboration, weakens trust, and makes even simple conversations feel difficult. The strongest teams don't avoid tension—they address it early. Research highlighted in a recent McKinsey article found that unresolved tensions can significantly reduce team effectiveness, while high-trust teams consistently outperform their peers. The difference isn't the absence of problems. It's the willingness to talk about them. One of the most practical leadership habits is creating regular opportunities for transparent interaction. That includes appreciation. People should hear what they're doing well far more often than they hear about their shortfalls. Specific, genuine recognition builds trust over time. Those trust deposits matter because once positive relationships are built, difficult conversation are more likely to accept the message . When correction is needed, reinforce that you value the person, even though they aren’t perfect. The goal is growth, not judgment. But leaders should be careful not to make appreciation transactional. If positive feedback has been absent for months, suddenly offering praise immediately before a critique usually feels insincere. Trust is built through a steady pattern of recognition, encouragement, and honest conversation—not a last-minute compliment. Transparent leaders also address issues early. Small frustrations become large resentments when left unresolved. Teams that clear the air quickly spend less energy managing tension and more energy producing results. The result? Less friction. More trust. Stronger relationships. Better performance. Because healthy conversations don't just solve problems—they strengthen the team. Free Leader Guide: 5 Practices for Trust-Building Conversations The best leaders don't wait for tension to become conflict. They build trust before it's needed. Download our 5 Practices for Trust-Building Conversations guide to learn practical ways to strengthen relationships, reduce friction, and create a culture where honest conversations lead to better performance. Download the guide and start building trust one conversation at a time.

Speaking Up Is Not Defiance. It's Duty.

By Cathie Leimbach • June 23, 2026
Most leaders say they want employees to speak up. They want people who spot risks, question assumptions, and help the organization make better decisions. Yet many employees hesitate to do exactly that. Why? Because leaders often respond to speaking up as if the speaker is complaining, criticizing or resisting. When people fear being viewed as difficult, they stop sharing what they see. The organization loses valuable information, ideas, and perspectives. A recent McKinsey article found that teams with high psychological safety are two to three times more likely to generate breakthrough ideas. When people feel safe speaking up, better thinking follows. The best leaders understand a simple truth: Speaking up is not defiance. It's duty. When employees question assumptions, raise concerns, or offer a different perspective, they are helping the team avoid blind spots and make stronger decisions. That's why effective leaders don't merely tolerate speaking up—they invite it. They ask: What are we not seeing? What assumptions are we making? Who might see this differently? What information are we missing? Just as importantly, they respond with curiosity instead of defensiveness. They thank people for expressing their perspective. They explain how input influenced decisions. They make speaking up safe. Because organizations don't improve when everyone agrees. They improve when people feel responsible for helping the team see what others may have missed. In healthy organizations, speaking up isn't rebellion. It's responsibility. It's duty. Leadership Reflection Think about your last leadership team meeting. Did people simply agree? Or did someone help the team see something it otherwise would have missed? Download 5 Questions That Surface Better Thinking and make speaking up a productive part of how your team thinks, decides, and performs.