Supervisory Leadership |
|
|
| Home Page | |
| Articles | |
| Book Reviews | |
| Newsletter | |
| Questions | |
| Got a Question or Comment? | |
|
Wally Bock Answers Your Supervisory Leadership Question How important are clear expectations?
If the folks who work for you don't have a clear idea of what you expect, then you can't hold them accountable. That's true for both general expectations and specific expectations.
I tell my trainees and clients to get togther with the group whose performance they're responsible for and lay out general expectations. Follow that up with one-on-one sessions where you can make sure that each person understands. Supplement your meetings with a written statement of expectations.
That takes care of the general expectations, but you'll also have specific expectations for specific people and assignments. To make sure that happens, tailor your communication style to the individual you're working with. Learn to give directions in several ways and to practice active listening.
Making sure expectations are clear is only part of your job, though. You must also make sure your expectations are reasonable. Expectations are reasonable if your subordinate has the skills and resources to perform as expected.
You may reprint or repost this article providing that the following conditions are met:
Any other reprinting or reposting requires specific permission which is almost always granted. Click here to request permission if necessary.
Got a supervisory leadership question for Wally? He'll answer as many questions as his workload permits and put the ones with most universal interest on this site. By asking your question you agree that it may appear here at some future time. Your name and affiliation will not be used on the site in conjunction with your question. To ask Wally a supervisory leadership question, click here to go to our question form.
|
