Managing Expectations

The power of expectation settings is well established: Expect your people to succeed and they will do so. Expect them to fail and they will fulfill your expectations completely. They rise or fall to the standard of expectations.

Effective expectations is about setting the right psychological contract between the leader and the team member. This agreement as variouse elemnets on the leaders side and on the team members side.

The Leaders side of a agreement is:

• Deliver bonus and promotional promises if performance justifies it.
• Give political support for dealing with other departments.
• Be clear about what working style works best in the team.
• Demonstrate a interest in and commitment to the future of each team member.
• Delegate effectively: give interesting opportunities, not just administrative. Coach on there performance with effective feedback.
• Pride Coaching and a action plan.

The team members side of the contract is:

• Deliver the results promised.
• Be 100 per cent loyal to and supportive of the leader.
• Work in an appropriate style for the current leader and team.
• Avoid surprises.
• Don't whine and undermine the moral of the team.

Within these broad expectations there is a huge amount to be discussed.

• What are the right goals?
• What is the right working style?
• What is the best mix of assignments?

Leaders cannot expect there team members to be telepathic. It helps to set these expectations explicit. The expectations need to be discussed, not mandated.

If the team members feel involved in agreeing and setting expectations, they are much more likely to feel committed to them.

Expectation setting should always be a two-way process.