November 02, 2010
Communicate expectations
Achieve airtight employee accountability
By: Tom Gegax
Clarifying employee expectations stokes initiative and leads to their professional growth.
After you get the hang of it, straight talk offers a lot of opportunity. The law of diminishing dedication holds that malaise develops when employees aren’t challenged, inspired partners in their own fate. For most, purpose and enthusiasm have the shelf life of sushi. So I developed the four-step Ask/Tell Technique to get them to open up. It keeps managers’ and employees’ expectations in line so there are no surprises. This is how it works:
Step 1 — Ask: “What are your expectations?” Know your team members’ needs, desires and expectations — for their job and their career. Do you know what your people value most? Is it making more money? A promotion? Meaningful work? Time off for family?
Relationships, personal and professional, break down if they’re taken for granted, if we focus exclusively on our own needs. In business, this is called “turnover.” Don’t kid yourself, turnover is always about employees’ unmet needs. Ask them what they need from you and from the organization, and then do what you can to give it to them.
Step 2 — Tell: “Here are my expectations.” Do your people know exactly what’s expected of them? If there’s a chance you’re not on the same page, don’t wait until the end of the book. Get clear by committing your expectations (whether operating-plan-related or task-oriented) to paper and defining how you’ll measure them. Then ask employees to sign off, literally or figuratively. This kind of detail prevents crossed wires and builds benchmarks by which to tally momentum. Think that formally defining expectations is overkill? Just the opposite is true — it’s liberating for people to know what’s expected of them. Done with care, clarifying mutual expectations stokes initiative and leads to professional growth. It also sets the stage for a continual exchange of constructive feedback.
Step 3 — Ask: “How am I doing?” We’re imperfect creatures. Daily brush fires can divert our attention and scorch our commitments. Checking in with colleagues who report to you brings us back. But be realistic. Don’t expect employees to rattle off opinions when you ask how you’ve been doing as a leader. Some may respond without reservation. Others will hesitate even if they have a laundry list of gripes — unless they’ve noticed you’re open to hearing honest feedback. Even then, you may have to resort to the Rule of Three Technique (ask three times, digging deeper each time, before you get honest answers). Or, try ASU (Ask and Shut Up). Just smile and look him in the eye until he expresses himself. People get an energy boost when they empty the buffer between what’s on their mind and what’s on their lips. It frees up psychic energy so they can focus on their work in a more positive, constructive way. Here is a typical exchange.
Request one: Is there anything I could do differently to improve how things work around here?
Response: Uh, no, not really.
Request two: I really value your opinion, Scott. You’re telling me there’s nothing I need to change?
Response: (Pause) No, everything’s fine.
Request three: (Now get specific.) C’mon, I bet you can name three things I’m doing right and three things I could do better.
Response: Well, yeah, I guess I could think of something. It’s no big deal, but you always seem to have broccoli stuck in your teeth.
Sign up for our Enews and receive the latest news, trends, and product information right in your e-mail inbox.