The single most consistent conversation I have with clients surrounds the concept of expected versus actual performance. Most often this comes up in discussions on employment – a client has a team member who isn’t living up to their expectations and they’d like to sever the employment relationship.
The first question I always ask is if the person in question even knows what the expectations of successful employment with their company are.
After all, if you think about it, it would be difficult to play a winning hand of cards if you did not know the rules by which “a win†is declared – being successful at your job isn’t all that different. If you don’t know how success is measured, when do you know you are? Inevitably, the answer to this question is no.
Oh, they try to sugar coat it with statements like “doing what I do is what I expect†and “of course, we lay all that out in our employee handbook†but when you really dig into it, the number of businesses that clearly and explicitly outline their expectations are rarer than hen’s teeth.
During my extended tenure with Kinko’s, I had the opportunity to interview more than 1,500 people in at least 5 states. While I would be the first to admit it’s not the largest pool of test subjects, I’d propose it’s a representative sample of entry to mid-level employees.
Not once during a single interview did I have a candidate say to me “I’d love to come in and do the worst job possible, steal you blind and make you lose sleep at nightâ€. Whether or not Kinko’s was really their dream job, the vast majority of applicants I spoke with wanted to do a good job, receive reasonable pay in compensation and be treated respectfully.
During the first few years of hiring, my tactic was to fall back on the Kinko’s philosophy to communicate the standards by which their performance would be evaluated. That worked out ok, but as I grew more experienced in leading others, I discovered that the clearer I was, the more likely it was that I would actually get what I was asking for. That led to a rather explicit and lengthily list of specific performance expectations, which in turn led to dramatic improvement in overall branch performance each time I used them.
Of course, it worked because not only did I set high expectations for people, but I also followed them myself. When I transitioned into self employment, I brought those same expectations along.
To keep myself working to the highest standard possible, I benchmark performance milestones. For example, getting a client into the top 3 Google results, or increasing site traffic in excess of my initial guarantee. I also continue to push myself by attending training and conferences so that I am continually learning new techniques and methods to accelerate my client’s success curve. Then it’s a matter of test, measure, improve and repeat – I know all too well that resting on my laurels doesn’t pay the mortgage.
So, my question for today is, what do you expect for your team members? Where do you set the bar, and how do you keep raising the stakes to improve your organizational effectiveness?
If you are still struggling to set clear expectations and bring your team together, we can help you achieve your goals. Contact us today to get started.
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