How to Set Clear Expectations That Inspire Greatness and Drive Accountability

If you’re not setting clear expectations for your direct reports, you’re not only undermining performance and results within the team, but also negatively impacting engagement, relationships, and teamwork. Gallup research revealed that less than half of employees know what their leaders and managers expect of them. With statistics like these, managers shouldn’t assume they are on the same page as employees.

It’s essential to regularly set, review, and reinforce expectations of team members. If you set high expectations, most performers will aim to achieve these, and you’ll see the average performance go up. You need to be careful not to overstretch your employees, though. The trick is to set expectations that inspire and challenge but not ones that lead to burn out, loss of motivation, lower performance, or a lower sense of wellbeing.

How can you set clear expectations and drive accountability amongst your team? Check out our top three tips below.

1. Write your expectations down. This may seem obvious, but you’d be surprised how few leaders actually do this. You’ll also want to jot down why they are important. When leaders write down their expectations, they’re more likely to be able to articulate them in writing or verbally to their team. Expectation setting is a two-way process, so remember to encourage your team to share theirs with you and be prepared to take their feedback into account. This will ensure a high level of trust and mutual respect prevails.
2. Communicate clearly. Stay focused on desired outcomes, not breaking down every step they need to follow. Your goal is to guide, not to control. Allowing individuals to find their own route toward productive outcomes encourages them to use their strengths to their fullest potential.
3. Give positive reinforcement. Be specific, highlight the impact, and communicate this as close to the positive event as possible. People want to know their hard work is valued and when they do something well. Mention things you like, and you’ll get more of it.

Setting clear expectations for your employees is crucial to their success, but also for the organization as a whole. It’s unlikely everyone will rise to an occasion that hasn’t been presented to them. Make sure you and your team are on the same page about expectations but keep them realistic. A burnt out employee is not a productive one. Your goal is to inspire great work and have your people raise the bar for themselves by exceeding what you ask of them.

Interested in learning about first line managers? Curious about how leadership development can help your organization reach its full potential? Get in touch now.

Vayability is a leadership development platform built from the ground up to accelerate the development and business impact of emerging talent. Combining more than 20 years of executive learning, Vayability focuses on impactful leadership skills, personalized learning, live coaching, and measurable growth. Find out how top companies embrace success at vayability.net.

Written by Rachel Strysik