The Power of Clear Expectations in Teams

Research & Sources / Communication & Influence

Imagine a football match on a field with no lines. No touchline, no goal area, no halfway line. Players would argue about every throw-in, every goal kick, every foul. The game would be slow, frustrating and full of conflict. Add the white lines back, and everyone simply plays. Clear expectations are the white lines of a team.

Most conflict starts with unclear expectations

A manager is disappointed with a report. The employee is confused, because they did exactly what they thought was asked. A client is unhappy because they expected more meetings. A partner feels let down because they assumed the other would handle marketing.

In most of these cases, nobody did anything wrong on purpose. The lines simply were never drawn.

Where engagement starts

Gallup has studied what makes teams perform for decades, across millions of employees. The very first element in its engagement survey is: “I know what is expected of me at work.”¹ It comes first because everything else builds on it. Recognition, growth and purpose mean little to someone who is unsure what their job actually is.

Google’s research on effective teams found the same theme. One of the five key factors was “structure and clarity”: team members understand their roles, plans and goals.²

What a clear expectation contains

The result. What exactly should exist at the end? “A two-page summary with three recommendations” is clearer than “some thoughts on the topic”.

The standard. What does good look like? An example helps more than a description.

The deadline. A specific day and time, not “soon” or “when you can”.

The freedom. What can the person decide on their own, and when should they check in?

Research on goals by Edwin Locke and Gary Latham found that specific goals lead to better performance than vague ones like “do your best”.³

Check that the line was seen

A line drawn in your head is not on the field yet. After explaining an expectation, ask the person to say it back in their own words: “Just so we’re on the same page, how would you summarise what we agreed?” It can feel awkward at first. It prevents most misunderstandings.

Expectations go both ways

Clear expectations are not only for employees. Leaders should also be clear about what their team can expect from them: when they are available, how quickly they answer, how decisions are made. The same goes for clients and partners: write down what each side does, early.

What this means for you this week

• Pick one task you are delegating and write result, standard, deadline and freedom.
• Ask someone to repeat back an important request in their own words.
• Ask your team: “Is anything about your role or priorities unclear right now?”
• Clarify one client expectation in writing that has caused friction before.

Draw the lines first. Then let people play.

Sources

1. Gallup. Q12 Meta-Analysis (11th edition). gallup.comLarge meta-analysis linking 12 workplace elements, starting with “I know what is expected of me at work”, to performance outcomes.
2. Google re:Work. Understand team effectiveness (Project Aristotle). rework.withgoogle.comHow a team works together matters more than who is on it; psychological safety was the most important of five factors.
3. Locke, E. A. & Latham, G. P. (2002). Building a practically useful theory of goal setting and task motivation. American Psychologist, 57(9), 705-717. doi.orgSpecific, challenging goals lead to higher performance than vague “do your best” goals.