Carroll on Work

By John Carroll

Consider the following two statements: “I’m thrilled that the Pittsburgh Steelers went 16-2 last season. They came from a 6-10 finish a year earlier and set a team record with 15 straight wins. It was an enjoyable year.”

“I am sorry, folks, but I must point out the goal of any team for any season is to win the Super Bowl. Sure, I had more fun this year than I’ve had in awhile. But you still play the game to get the final trophy. That is why everyone gets so emotional and spends so much money. If it was just about doing pretty good and being better than last year, then it wouldn’t be pro football.”

If you happen to be a Steelers fan, which of these would reflect your feelings on the subject? Would you be happy with a much-improved record and outstanding prospects for the coming year? Or would you be primarily disappointed that your favorite team was watching the Super Bowl along with the rest of us?

What did you expect?

At the end of a specific performance by a person or team, it’s often time to evaluate that performance. Evaluation must be popular; otherwise, why would there be so many resources available to keep statistics and measurements of performance? In the process of evaluation, there’s a comparison of anticipated to actual, of planned to reality.

Your expectation will likely be an accurate forecast of your evaluation of the outcome.

The same holds true of individual or team performance. Consider a production schedule as an anticipated mark, something on which you and others have planned. It’s likely that meeting the production schedule will get you, at most, a word or quick note of a job well done before you get encouragement to meet or exceed the schedule in the coming weeks. If, on the other hand, you fall short of production target dates, you’re likely to get questions and hear concerns about getting a project or task back on schedule.

Take the same production schedule and add some circumstances. Let’s say that the project is faced with uncontrollable conditions that make progress nearly impossible. You fall short of the production schedule and get encouragement to do what you can do safely to increase productivity and catch up to scheduled milestones. Under those same challenging conditions, let’s say that you find a way to make production as planned. You’re more likely in this case to receive considerable, positive recognition for your work.

What’s the expectation? First and foremost, in this example, you’re expected to meet production schedules, regardless of conditions. How do you know that you’ll get an understanding nod when circumstances outside of your control force you to miss scheduled target dates?

Ask, ask, ask

In any relationship, work or other, take the time to ask about someone’s expectations of you and your performance. In your planning, ask them about situations when events don’t happen as anticipated and how much, if any, allowance there will be at those times. If you have no additional time budgeted for delays, isn’t it better to know that key piece of information before you start the project?

This is why the clarity of communications and expectations before the start of any project remains the single most critical step of the entire project. By understanding expectations and confirming your understanding with another person, you give yourself every opportunity to meet or exceed those expectations.

Either way, you must know exactly what those expectations are without assuming that you already know them.

How to clarify expectations

Here are some tips to help you know what others expect of you:

• Use clear questions. Ask, “In the ideal outcome, how exactly do you see the result of this project/task/request?” Have this person draw you as clear a picture as possible of how it will look at completion.

• Take great notes. In nearly all situations, the person taking the notes has document power. Those not taking notes are forced to work from memory and will often defer to the person with the notes. Taking notes helps people understand what’s expected and so they can remind others of agreed upon criteria or outcomes.

• Give and get periodic updates. Some people are better at follow up than others. Make those counting on you great at follow up by keeping them up to date even before they ask. If you’re expecting specific performance of others, make follow up your strong suit. Follow up at scheduled intervals as well as impromptu, checking on things with the intention of finding good news and reinforcing it with compliments and congratulations.

• Ask about changing expectations. Like it or not, targets move and expectations change. Check early and often to know whether you’re subject to revised expectations of your performance on a project or task. Sometimes it’s helpful just to know that expectations remain the same when you have somehow convinced yourself that new criteria have been established without your knowledge.

Take the time to understand what others expect of you. Make this a regular part of your communications habits and you’ll find yourself becoming a better performer and more valuable member of your team and organization.

John Carroll is a business consultant, speaker, author and president of Unlimited Performance Inc. in Mount Pleasant. You can reach him at jcarroll@ uperform.com.

SUBSCRIBE | REPRINTS | CONTACT US

Phone: 843-849-3100    Fax: 843-849-3122