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100x Setting Clear Expectations | Think Cloud

This week on The Hack Podacst Leon, Paul and Dean talk all about Investing time within yout team and business!

Don’t Be The Smartest Person In The Room - Setting Clear Expectations

What’s discussed?

As a leader, setting clear expectations is crucial to your success. If you set unrealistic expectations, you will quickly lose the trust and respect of your team. On the other hand, if you set clear, realistic expectations, you will empower and motivate your team to reach new heights.

In this podcast, Leon, Dean and Paul are back discussing the importance of setting effective expectations and how to do it effectively to motivate and inspire people to create a 100X culture. They also look at the different types of expectations and how they impact team performance.

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So, how can you set clear expectations that will empower your team?

First, you need to understand the different types of expectations. There are four main types of expectation setting:

- Outcome Expectations: These are what we expect people to achieve, and they should be specific, measurable, and time-bound.

- Process Expectations: These are the expectations we set for how people do their work, and they should be clear, attainable, and aligned with our values.

- Behavioural Expectations: These are the expectations we set for how people behave, and they should be positive, respectful, and consistent with our culture.

- Attitude Expectations: These are the expectations we set for how people think and feel about their work. They should be realistic, positive, and aligned with our mission and values..

Learning to set Effective Expectations: The Expectation Scale

The expectations we set for people can either empower or inhibit them. Learning to set effective expectations is a crucial leadership skill, and it will empower your team to achieve more than they ever thought possible.

When setting expectations, Learning to set clear, realistic, and effective expectations is crucial to motivating and bringing out the best in everyone.

Remember the different expectations you can set: outcome, process, behavioural and attitude. If we do not, we will limit our people, burn them out, or create confusion that inhibits our culture and performance.

Understand the learning path:

Unconsciously Incompetent

Consciously Incompetent

I Do You Watch

You Do I Help

You Do I Watch

The Pit of Despair

Dean recognised when he was giving a team member tasks which were inappropriate based on his CV and skillset; his colleague was struggling. Dean realised his communication method was wrong. "I was giving him tasks, and he couldn't complete them. I should have stepped back and put a training plan together, which I did in the end. I fell into a pit of despair."

Dean realised he was giving tasks which couldn’t be done comfortably. He had to implement training plans and spend one-to-one formal and informal coaching time.

So how do we help people get out of the pit of despair?

Time: Informal & Formal Informal time is the kind of on-the-job learning that takes place informally, without structured lessons or set agendas. It’s the sort of thing that happens when you ask a colleague for help or watch and learn from someone who knows more than you do. Formal training, on the other hand, is more structured. It usually takes place in a classroom or workshop setting and is led by an expert on the subject matter. Formal training can be very beneficial, but it’s not always necessary – especially if you’re already knowledgeable about the topic.

Vision: Short-term & Long-Term Efficient goal setting starts with a clear and concise vision, giving meaning and purpose to your goals and actions. To ensure your idea is effective, it should be:- Short term & Long term: You need both short-term and long-term goals to create a well-rounded vision. The short-term goals will get you to your long-term ones, and the long-term ones will keep you motivated.

Achievable: Make sure your vision is possible. It can be a stretch, but it shouldn't be impossible.

Encouragement: Specific, Not Generic The best motivation is specific, not generic. Generic motivation can feel like a pat on the back or an empty platitude. "Good job!" "You're doing great!" "Keep up the good work!" These are all well-intentioned, but they don't give much guidance about what someone should do next time to continue excelling. On the other hand, specific encouragement is much more helpful, telling the person precisely what they did right and why it matters.

Evaluate

We have tools, resources, and standard operating procedures to train our people. Even with the best intentions, people are still human, and things can go wrong. It is essential to have a process in place to evaluate whether expectations were met and identify areas for improvement. This will help ensure your team is moving forward and making progress.

What is your relationship?

What is their role v's your role?

What is the specific task and responsibilities around that?

Be honest and invite them to be honest.

Ask what a realistic expectation is from their perspective.

This can be negotiable; it's not a science; it's an art. You have to find a balance.

What are the resources and time you have?

Is it better to do it yourself or delegate it?

Be patient.

We are a massive believer in traits and attitude over skills and experience. People can be successful in almost any role with the right attitude and a willingness to learn.

THE FOUR T'S - TIME TASKS TEAM TECHNIQUE

The pit of despair is real, and it's something that we all face at one point or another. But it doesn't have to be a permanent condition. With the right tools and support, you can get out of the pit and back on track to achieving your goals.

The four T's framework can help:

TIME: Break down your goal into smaller chunks that you can complete in a shorter period, which will help you avoid feeling overwhelmed.

TASKS: Write down specific tasks that you need to do to achieve your goal. Having a plan will help you stay focused and on track.

TEAM: Assemble a team of supportive people who can help you achieve your business goals. Having a solid support system is essential for success.

TECHNIQUE: Use the methods that have been proven to work to achieve your goal. There's no need to reinvent the wheel - use what works!

If you're feeling stuck, don't despair. The four T's can help you get out of the pit and back on track to achieving your goals

Conclusion

Setting expectations is key to any successful relationship, whether personal or professional. We can avoid misunderstandings, frustration, and disappointment by setting clear and realistic expectations. And when we do have disagreements, they are more likely to be resolved quickly and efficiently.

Listen to our podcast today to hear the boys discuss setting realistic expectations in your business!