{"id":1071,"date":"2016-12-20T23:06:30","date_gmt":"2016-12-21T07:06:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/b-spoke.net\/?p=1071"},"modified":"2026-06-29T22:00:30","modified_gmt":"2026-06-29T22:00:30","slug":"expect-better","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thirdactmedia.com\/b-spoke\/2016\/12\/20\/expect-better\/","title":{"rendered":"Expect Better"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"color:#008000;\"><em>Part Two of Three<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<h6>A Six Minute Read<\/h6>\n<p>Using problem investigations as modern-day witch hunts, to find and assign blame, is simply bad troubleshooting. <a href=\"https:\/\/thirdactmedia.com\/b-spoke\/category\/managing-problems\/\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-213 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/b-spoke.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/problems.png?w=150\" alt=\"problems\" width=\"150\" height=\"104\" \/><\/a>\u00a0Nevertheless, whether an employee\u2019s actions are the primary root cause, or he is just at the controls when things go wrong, \u201cpeople\u201d and \u201cproblems\u201d go hand in hand. To get past that &#8211; \u00a0to find the cause-behind-the-cause, and to implement a corrective \u2013 it is critical to understand what an employee is supposed to do in the first place.<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Assessing Expectations<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>It has become clich\u00e9 that \u201cyou get results in proportion to what you expect.\u201d If that were true, every leader \u2013 from a floor supervisor to CEO \u2013 with grand ideas would be awash in stellar outcomes. The fact is, setting clear expectations is difficult, and a skill (such as driving or multitasking) where a majority of people think their talents outpace the average.<\/p>\n<p>One tool consultants use to assess a client\u2019s culture is individual interviews. I have conducted thousands of such interviews, and I reluctantly begin each with the same two questions. \u201cReluctant\u201d because I can\u2019t believe that anyone in any professional setting could answer \u201cno\u201d to either; yet, nearly every time, the \u201cno\u2019s\u201d outweigh the \u201cyesses\u201d by a margin, typically, of two-to-one. Those questions are:<\/p>\n<ul style=\"list-style-type:circle;\">\n<li>\u201cHave performance expectations been established?\u201d<\/li>\n<li>\u201cHave they been clarified with you?\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>In other words, \u201c<em>Does your immediate leadership actually know what they want from you, and have they made sure that you know, understand, and can accomplish that?\u201d<\/em><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-1082\" src=\"https:\/\/b-spoke.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/pull-quote1.png?w=300\" alt=\"pull-quote\" width=\"300\" height=\"119\" \/> Again, it\u2019s usually in the range of sixty-five percent who, after reflection, say that has <u>not<\/u> happened.<\/p>\n<p>When I discuss this with said leadership, the automatic reply is typically, \u201cThey know what to do.\u201d When I press and ask, \u201cWell, how? What have you told them?\u201d, I tend to get stammered answers with a side order of let\u2019s-move-on.<\/p>\n<p>When solving problems, how is it fair to assign blame to \u201cpeople\u201d when, by and large, the expectations aren\u2019t clear? (Rhetorical question: It isn\u2019t.) Even in the case study in <a style=\"color:blue;\" href=\"http:\/\/b-spoke.net\/2016\/12\/18\/good-investigators-dont-search-for-the-who\/\" target=\"_blank\">Part One<\/a> \u2013Dominic James ditching his aircraft in the Pacific \u2013 this seems a reasonable take.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left:30px;\">We can\u2019t anticipate every outcome, so to ask \u201cAre their clear expectations about what to do when you don\u2019t have the technology available to accurately build and file a flight plan?\u201d may be too granular, but a fair question certainly would be, \u201cWhat are the expectations on you when you are uncomfortable with your pre-flight preparations?\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left:30px;\">Is the expectation to make do with the best information possible, or is it to sit on the ground until you\u2019re sure it\u2019s safe? If it was the first\u2013 which is what Captain James did \u2013 then it\u2019s suspect at best to hold him at fault for taking off.<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Why Good Expectations Are Important<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><a style=\"color:blue;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=izsRs2cOjEg\" target=\"_blank\">George Harrison sang<\/a>, \u201cIf you don\u2019t know where you\u2019re going, any road will get you there.\u201d Likewise, if employees don\u2019t have a clear path of what they should accomplish, anything they do will fit the bill. Being purposely vague does not build empowerment, it sows confusion.<\/p>\n<p>If leaders don\u2019t clarify exactly what they require, then they will never know:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><em>How <\/em>to get it<\/li>\n<li><em>If <\/em>they got it<\/li>\n<li><em>What went wrong <\/em>when they didn\u2019t get it<\/li>\n<li><em>How to improve<\/em> next time<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>This begins with fully understanding what that expectation is. Regardless of the length of the journey, leaders should have an idea of the first steps. It is important to see this in behavioral terms. To develop this, ask:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>What, physically, should an employee be doing to demonstrate he is meeting my expectations?<\/li>\n<li>If I were directing a silent movie of my employee meeting this expectation, what would I want to see her perform?<\/li>\n<li>What is an example of a \u201cgood\u201d output? What is an example of a \u201cbad\u201d output? What are some key differences between the two?<\/li>\n<li>How else will I know that these expectations are being met?<\/li>\n<li>How can I simplify my answers to all of these questions?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>For example, imagine you\u2019re coaching Little League, and your expectation is that the players \u201chustle\u201d. Eight-year-olds <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-1073\" src=\"https:\/\/b-spoke.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/buttermaker.jpg?w=300\" alt=\"buttermaker\" width=\"300\" height=\"239\" \/>might not know what that means, so you get specific: Run from the dugout to your position at the start of the inning, and run back at the end; Run as hard as you can on a hit, even if you <u>think<\/u> you will be out; If you\u2019re on deck, have your helmet on and be swinging before the batter takes his first pitch.<\/p>\n<p>Now, if you wanted your employees to show that they are \u201ctaking accountability\u201d, what instructions would you give them?<\/p>\n<p>This does not need to be in the form or at the detailed level of work instructions. The idea is to lay some groundwork and provide concrete examples of what is acceptable.<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Understand the Impact<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Some expectations must be rigidly adhered to, and some allow several degrees of freedom. For them to exercise good judgment, it is important that employees understand what the ramifications are of meeting or not meeting an expectation. (During many problem investigations, \u201cI didn\u2019t know that would happen if I did ____\u201d is heard.)<\/p>\n<h3>Plant supervisors ordered materials without purchase orders or confirming standard costs in the production system. They would sporadically get scolded by Betty in Payables, but that was easier than the paperwork. One Friday at month-end, Betty had enough, and brought them in to help her reconcile packing slips and invoices. When they left the office after midnight, they understood Betty\u2019s frustration and were suddenly more able to meet the expectation of properly documenting requisitions.<\/h3>\n<h4><strong>Clarify Correctly<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Only when you truly understand what you expect, and why it is important, are you ready to discuss this with your staff. Like all communications, <u>how<\/u> it is presented can be every bit as important as <u>what<\/u> is presented. Think through:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>What is the environment in which I want to communicate this?<br \/>\n<em>(e.g., Staff meeting, training sessions, one-on-one meetings)<\/em><\/li>\n<li>How will I phrase the expectation-setting?<br \/>\n<em>Is this an order? Or a request? Are there conditions attached (\u201cIf you\u2019re on the phone with clients anyway\u2026\u201d)<\/em><\/li>\n<li>How will I confirm that each employee understands and agrees with the expectation?<br \/>\n<em>\u201cAgreeing\u201d with the expectation does not necessarily mean \u201cbuy in to\u201d, \u201clove\u201d, or \u201cembrace\u201d the expectation, rather confirming that it is achievable.<\/em><\/li>\n<li>What will be the appropriate follow-up?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Think hard about how to confirm the message is understood. Lack of pushback, or even agreeable nodding, is not a fair indication. Asking closed questions such as, \u201cDo you understand\u201d at best offers the verbal equivalent of a rubber stamp. Challenge employees to repeat back, or describe, what the expectation is to accomplish. Give them an opportunity to process the information, and check their understanding again. Time spent here is an investment in getting it right later.<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Restore Balance<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>It is telling that there is no synonym for the word \u201cexpectation\u201d that doesn\u2019t connote some level of unpredictability: \u201cassumption\u201d, \u201clikelihood\u201d, \u201csupposition\u201d, \u201cconjecture\u201d. To reduce the uncertainty and move from \u201cforecast\u201d to \u201cforegone conclusion\u201d, leaders need to fully understand what they want from their staff before describing it, provide that information with clarity, and confirm that understanding.<\/p>\n<p>Whether recovering from an operator running a machine incorrectly, trying to prevent pilots from taking off in bad conditions, or turning professionals loose to execute a new strategy, problems can frequently be averted by articulating clearly what is expected \u2013 and clarifying that it has been understood. In my next post, I will discuss some steps to design an environment that encourages successful execution of those expectations.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In my previous post, I discussed the temptation of assigning blame during any kind of root cause analysis.<\/p>\n<p>No matter the cause, understanding how employees were \u2013 and will be \u2013 expected to behave is key to successfully implementing a fix. <a href=\"https:\/\/thirdactmedia.com\/b-spoke\/2016\/12\/20\/expect-better\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Expect Better<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2196,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[5,6],"tags":[33,36,40,74],"class_list":["post-1071","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-managing-people","category-managing-problems","tag-expectations","tag-feedback","tag-getting-shit-done","tag-root-cause-analysis"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/thirdactmedia.com\/b-spoke\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/expectations-featured.png","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thirdactmedia.com\/b-spoke\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1071","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thirdactmedia.com\/b-spoke\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thirdactmedia.com\/b-spoke\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thirdactmedia.com\/b-spoke\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thirdactmedia.com\/b-spoke\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1071"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/thirdactmedia.com\/b-spoke\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1071\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2451,"href":"https:\/\/thirdactmedia.com\/b-spoke\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1071\/revisions\/2451"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thirdactmedia.com\/b-spoke\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2196"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thirdactmedia.com\/b-spoke\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1071"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thirdactmedia.com\/b-spoke\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1071"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thirdactmedia.com\/b-spoke\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1071"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}