Wouldn’t life be grand if those that work around us just naturally knew what we wanted? What if there was a checklist of all the items that needed to be completed everyday? What if you understood what behaviors your boss was looking for when performing your job? What if the EXPECTATIONS were completely clear?
Expectations. The word itself has a negative tone to it when you say it. As an employee, my boss has “expectations” that I...... But expectations are so much more than just a “to do” list. Expectations are a tool to clarify communication, reduce confusion and as a conversation starter for corrective action.
I started my list of expectations for all those who worked with me around 1996. I don’t recall the first list very well but it was basically the same as those that came later, just not as organized. The list was originally written based on risk; those actions that put the employee, others or the organization at risk. Additionally, it is important to clarify expectations of behavior for circumstances where there may be no discretionary time to discuss the desired actions or behaviors.
Your list of expectations for those you lead may be a little different than mine, but probably similar in that the expectations should help your employees meet the mission, vision and values established by the organization. Your expectations should be written down and covered with each of your employees to clarify understanding. Some of the items may seem like “common sense” but common sense isn’t so common. If it was, we would never have the conversation with an employee to show up on time!!
My expectations were slightly different for different levels of responsibility of my reports in the organization. For the firefighters I worked with, the expectations were very task level in nature. Wear your gear, be on time, treat people with respect, meet their needs, etc. With supervisors, the expectations became a little more strategic in nature; make sure all are ready to respond, know your job, do your job, etc. This approach allows supervisors to interpret the organizations expectations a bit and to add their own twist. Ownership. Buy in.
Keep in mind that if you want something specific to occur, your expectation may need to be specific. As an example, if I say, “wear appropriate personal protective equipment” to my firefighter, he/she may not feel that a turn out jacket is appropriate for first arrival at an auto accident. The responder may feel that they could just put on their jacket if “they need it” for extrication or rescue. But specifically, I always want my people to arrive ready for the worst scenario, so ALL gear is required for arrival.
What about that bit that expectations are a “conversation starter?” If I have covered the expectation with my employee and their is a failure, I can simply go back and state; “We covered this in our expectations discussion. What part wasn’t clear?” At this point, accountability and discipline come into play which we will cover in the next discussion.
You can put your twist on your list of expectations but they can’t violate policy, practices, laws, civil rights, human rights, statutes or contract agreements established through collective bargaining or negotiations. Your expectations should not deviate too much from organizational norms but they can be more restrictive than your organizations policy but not more permissive. Here’s an example: Your crew starts work at 8:00 a.m. You may have the expectation that they are all at work, in proper attire, and prepared to start functioning by 8:00 a.m. Your expectation may not allow your employees to arrive at 8:30 as that is an organizationally established expectation.
When you establish your list of expectations, review them with your supervisor to make sure you aren’t treading into uncharted territory.
Holding people accountable to your expectations? That’s another conversation.
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