Setting Performance Expectations

As a supervisor, setting performance expectations is critical to your team’s success and contributions to the overall business.

Four Step Process

The lack of clearly understood expectations is the source of much conflict in organizational relationships. As leaders, we must strive to build clear expectations throughout our organization, and doing so starts with you.

The Expectation

First, you must clearly define what is expected of your employees. This is vital.

Prepare in advance – don’t wing it
Be clear and direct – if you can’t repeat your expectation clearly then you may not have it defined well enough for yourself

Consider:

Can I clearly and directly explain my expectation of the job description or scope of work?

Results

Clearly define the expected outcome or goal.

Consider:

Can I describe what success looks like?
What is the required result?

Timeline

Now that you have clearly defined expectations in detail, it is important to determine deadlines and set milestones to ensure success.

Consider:

When does this need to be completed?

Commitment

Finally, a key part to setting expectations is gaining mutual commitment to the desired outcome.

Consider:

How will I know we have mutual commitment(s)?

Please refer to the Performance Management Resource Guide for more information on Setting Performance Expectations. The guide can be located in the Manager Center section under myHR via the portal.

Quick Links