How to Set Clear Expectations for Collaboration

Team Fundamental #10: GET CLEAR ON EXPECTATIONS. Create clarity and avoid misunderstandings by discussing expectations upfront. Set expectations for others and ask when you need clarification about what someone expects of you. End all meetings with clarity about action items, responsibilities, and due dates. Know who's doing what and when.   For every project we do, we have an SOW with our client that outlines the expectations of all parties, agreed-upon activities, who does which activities, and by when. The better the SOW, the better our chances of delivering on time, on budget, with a happy client. The chances of missed expectations are higher if we have an unclear SOW.    It is too easy to get a request and do the task without being clear on expectations. You can't deliver results if you don't know what the desired outcomes are!   As many of you know, my brother is in the Army, and my Dad was in the Army.  I have been fortunate to have them both as mentors in leadership and have asked them about the process of giving and receiving orders. You would think it's simple: "Do X,Y,Z," and it gets done. It's the Army! Everybody follows orders perfectly, right!? Well, the Army, like every organization, can give bad orders. So they've studied and taught what makes up a good "order," which really means a request that must be done. I learned that every request should include at least the following:  1. What needs to get done 2. When it needs to get done by 3. The level of quality required. These are three very simple things. However, you have to be very clear on the three things. And, if the person receiving the order isn't clear on anything, they need to ask for clarity. They need to confirm the "what," the "when," and the "how good." It is up to the receiver of the request to ensure they understand as much as it is the requestor.   Good orders can be a matter of life and death for the Army, but not for us. At Infinitive, good expectation setting can significantly reduce rework, impress our clients, and increase our satisfaction at work. We should always feel comfortable asking clarifying questions and repeating back the expectations, sometimes in writing, but at a minimum verbally, every time. To be great, you must know what's expected of you. Here's to being crystal clear. 

Unclear expectations are a project killer When I first started managing projects, I thought everyone would be on the same page. Alignment on roles, responsibilities, timelines, & deliverables Spoiler alert - they weren't. Fast forward 6 months: → A task was delayed because no one owned it → A stakeholder expected something we never agreed to → The team was frustrated by murky priorities It all came back to unclear expectations. Now, every time I kick off a project, I focus on 3 key things: ☝ Define roles & responsibilities Who owns what? Don't assume people know. Spell it out. RACI charts work wonders. ✌ Clarify deliverables & deadlines What are we delivering and when? Be specific. Confirm alignment with your team/stakeholders. 🤟 Overcommunicate early Repeat key details. Document agreements/decisions. Follow-up to ensure understanding. Clarity by setting expectations prevents future problems. It also establishes trust, teamwork, and successful delivery. When everyone knows what's expected, they can execute instead of guess. PS: what's your go-to strategy for setting clear expectations? 🤙

Use My My 4-Step Process to Setting Clear Expectations with Your Team. Clear Expectations = Success. But too often this crucial step is neglected. How do I know? I missed this piece early on in my journey. And have witnessed the same in New and Experienced Managers. My 4-Step process to Setting Clear Expectations: 1) Initial Conversation - Discuss goals and expectations. 2) Team Member Creates the Draft - NOT the Leader - Goals need measures and timelines (think SMARTER or OKR). 3) Collaborative Review - Review, Refine and finalize the expectations together. 4) Regular Evaluation - Self-Evaluate and Review progress together. The Result? - Better Alignment - Stronger Commitment by both the Team Member and the Leader - Improve Results and Success Want to learn more? Check out the video for a walkthrough and download the template from the comments below! P.S. I shared a link to this video previously and now have learned how to post here. Yay! P.P.S. Great feedback from Tim Bower shared to reverse the order of the Expectations. This way we are discussing the Exceptional first. I Love it and will be following this in the future! The Link to the Template is updated per this feedback. If this was Helpful, please let me know. If Not, tell me why - Feedback is Fuel! And if you need any help with this process, message me!