How can you set clear and realistic expectations for your team?

Fundamentally, it all depends on whether you build & lead or inherit & lead a team. Either way it’s an amazing experience to get an aligned outcome from any team, to say the least !

Key to Success for any leader is how good he is in understanding his team professionally and personally. We can not have 11 batsman in one cricket team , there should be a proper mix of all skills to win the match. A leader must pay attention to this fact not only creating his team but also he should make constant efforts to nurture the relevant skills of team. As a leader one must identify the skill in each team member and assign the role as per his skills to the extent possible . Also there goals in annual appraisal should be aligned to his area of interest within the overall umbrella of teams goal and organisation goals

Have regular reviews, conversations, tell what you are expecting, ask the what you are expecting? Show them what is happening around and why you are expecting what you are expecting.

Tools and methods will depend on your team size and the structure. If few direct reportees - individual discussion is a must, however when talking to a large team understanding the mood and mentality of a group is more important than individual traits and personalities. Putting across the expectations can't help if you're not able to convey to the team that you listen to them, understand their perspective and are agreeing to their views in parts or as a whole. While setting expectations it is important to not only set expectations for the team but also create an outline for the expectations the team has from you as a manager and work on it as well.

One who leads a team must know strength and weakness of each team members. More than that he must understand his own strength and weakness. A goal should be set considering every members capabilities. Team leaders first'job is to create a team spirit amongst the members.once that is done you will see healthy competition instead of conflict amongst the members. Periodic stock taking of progress made by the members and necessary guidance will bring a family feeling to the group.

One way to get started with this is to have defined processes mapped out for how work should be done, this way it makes it easy to delegate or assign tasks. Discussing with the team member the scope of the work, allow them to set targets with you, helps in setting expectations and managing output.

Its all about proper delegation of work as per team members strength once leader understand his team members. Once a leader know his team members he should be able to communicate expected goals and tools available to team members with clarity. There should always be two way communication with the team and leader should be not only be able to clear teams thought but should also align the over all objective achieved from the efforts of the team with organizational goals, with teams goal and the goals of the individuals. Delegated task should always be measurable, practical and achievable and there should always be controlling mechanism to avoid any last minute surprises .

Expectations shall be connected to the organization vision and mission,this will ensure that team understands how their contribution drive the organizations success.

One thing I found useful to help teams focus and achieve what we set out to do was using the SMART method: Specific Measurable Attainable Realistic Time bound This system leaves no ambuity. I would further add Timely Review as some tasks/milestones/KPI might change during the timeline of a project.

I agree with Jacob Tombo 100%. When a task is just something to be done, it has no meaning or inspiration behind it. People like to feel a connection to what they are doing, no matter how mundane. As leaders, it’s our job to connect the dots between the mundane tasks and the bigger goals and mission of the team.

Regular 1:1's and rhythm meetings are one way to make sure that you and the team are aligned and expectations are managed. Dashboards are a good way to keep track of the to do list as well and notice what is falling behind

In my experience communication of expected results are key to successful completion of any task . Clarity in thoughts of leader is very much required for team. A fumble in thoughts of leader may not only flush out all the efforts of team but also may cost heavily to the organization. Communication is completed when it is two way . Any ambiguity from any side may push all efforts in dustbin. The only medicine to get this correctly done is constant communication and check the understanding of the team about the expectation of leader from them and various check points or control checks to catch any mistake or error upfront.

Ensure that the set expectations are realistic and achievable by the team.lf the set expectations are unrealistic to the team then it leads to demotion and burnout which may cause the project to lag behind.

Monthly touch points is important. Goals may get reviewed and redefined. Changing environment should be driver rather than lack of thought clarity

When it comes to achieving goals and fostering effective collaboration, communication is the linchpin. Specifically, communicating expectations clearly and frequently is the secret sauce that keeps teams aligned and motivated. Here's why it matters: Clear expectations leave no room for ambiguity. Team members know exactly what's expected, eliminating the guesswork and ensuring everyone's on the same page. When team members are confident about what's expected, they can perform at their best. Clarity empowers them to make informed decisions and take ownership. Clear expectations set the foundation for accountability. Team members are more likely to take responsibility for their roles when they understand the desired outcomes.

Yes the monitoring and measuring of results from team members is must for successful achievement of any goal. This gives leader a chance to avoid any last minute misses or mistake but provide opportunity for team members to learn from their mistakes well with in time in the overall journey of their growth.

In my experience this helps in smooth annual appraisal discussions as individuals have received feedback in their monthly connect

Monitor and measure the progress and performance To ensure that your team is meeting your expectations, you need to monitor and measure their progress and performance regularly. You can use various tools and metrics to track and evaluate their results, such as reports, charts, or scorecards. You should also provide constructive and timely feedback to your team members and recognize their achievements and efforts. You should also identify any gaps or issues and offer support and guidance to help them improve.

We all are working in the environment which is dynamic to internal and external factors. It is quite often that any plan created in the morning may not hold good in the afternoon. There should always be plan B, which can be used as secret weapon to complete the task in case primary plans fails. The key for successful Plan B is that team should be involved in right from the initial stage to the extent possible. Leader should communicate to the team: 1. Details of the plan. 2. Event triggering plan B.3. Role and responsibilities of the team should be clearly communicated to team. 4. Team members roles should be aligned as per their skills. 5. Ensure that the team members possess all required tools successful completion of their role.

Adaptability in expectation-setting is an underlined requisite in today's fast-paced and ever-changing work environment. While setting clear expectations is crucial, an equally important aspect is the willingness to revise them based on myriad variables such as market trends, organisational shifts, or feedback from team members. Engaging the team in the decision-making process not only democratizes the work environment but also provides fresh perspectives that may better align with emerging realities.

Testing is crucial in order to show the truth. Assign them a small task. Assess them. Then assign a bigger task. Then assess again. After 4-5 times you will have the true picture. Feedback is crucial to avoid misunderstandings

I have realised that it is important to identify and understand the capacity gaps of team members, as self assessed by them - not only in terms of capabilities but also in terms of availability, priorities and aspirations. 1. If there is any knowledge or skill required, 2. If there is a limitation due to personal commitments or other priorities, e.g. number of hours a person can commit or certain days/ hours that one is not available, 3. If there is any particular aspiration or goal that the individual is targeting Understanding the above aspects could help align expectations for timely outputs or specialized tasks or sudden requirements. Also, this could help make appropriate teams with the right mix of aspects and expertise for any task

While setting up goals it’s important to remember that whole is great than sum of all parts. How we achieve as team is far more important than our performance as individuals

In addition to the points discussed, it's important to highlight the role of emotional intelligence in managing teams and setting expectations. A leader's ability to empathise, read social cues, and adjust communication styles is invaluable. For example, during periods of organisational change, heightened sensitivity to team morale can offer unspoken but crucial insights. Also, while technology provides us with various tools for tracking performance and setting expectations, the human element should not be overlooked.

Regardless of the type of team(s), scope of work, strategic plans, deadlines, etc., management has one crucial goal which is the empowerment of the team(s) in such a way that the cumulative throughput is at its highest. Stakeholder expectation management is essential for breathing space and confidence build-up of the team. Protect them! Any team is better than no team; Personal goals/interests may result in a team member performing splendidly on a type of task but very poorly on another; Relationships between members may require some adjustments that could resolve issues and boost productivity; You are the single most important character in their workday. Your skills, attitude, support, humor, vocabulary can make or break any team(s);