5 Ways to Effectively Communicate Team Expectations

There’s little room for confusion if team members know what’s expected of them. But how do you get there?

Key Takeaways:

• Team expectations boost productivity and employee engagement in the workplace
• Set team expectations by defining what success for tasks looks like and personalizing them for your team members
• Ask for feedback and assess your team’s performance to ensure all members are on track

When your team members fail to meet expectations, it’s usually for two reasons. They may not be up to the task, or, the more likely possibility, you may not be communicating team expectations effectively.

Luckily, you can change that. This article provides techniques to better share your expectations for maximum output. But before we get to that, let’s discuss the importance of team expectations.

Importance of setting team expectations

Working with a team without clear expectations is a recipe for failure. Team expectations tell your employees where you are as a business, where you want to be, and their role in bridging that gap.?

Expectations improve your employee engagement and, consequently, your profit margins. High employee engagement increases company profitability by 21%.

Clear-cut expectations also enhance your team communication. You don’t want to end up in a situation where Frank didn’t send the invoice because it was “obviously” Karen’s job.

Other reasons to clarify team expectations in your workplace include:

• An increase in employee satisfaction
• Employee autonomy where they’re free to be creative
• Decrease in stress levels

Now, here are the five ways managers can effectively communicate team expectations.

1. Determine and explain expectations

The first step to achieving this is to know what you expect from your team. Identify what success for every task looks like. The following questions can help you clarify your expectations:

• What is the task at hand?
• Are the expectations realistic ?
• What is a feasible deadline for the task?
• Who should complete the task?

It’s also advisable to give your employees a reason to take action. Employees are generally motivated when they know the task at hand and the importance of getting the job done.

Instead of simply giving instructions for writing out a budget, you can show the employee how a budget helps limit company expenditure and increases employee stipends. That’s sure to boost morale.

2. Communicate expectations early and consistently

Communicating expectations early is a way of ensuring you onboard employees that align with your company goals. It’s also an effective way of improving employee retention because your employees know what they’re getting into from the onset.

Take a cue from Jeff Smith , director at 15Five in San Francisco: “At 15Five, once someone joins the company, their job description includes actionable details around what’s expected during their first 30, 60, 90, and 365 days. Another simple technique is describing a typical week or month in the role.”

Communicating team expectations shouldn’t end after the onboarding process. A lot can change in a short time, like a misunderstanding of objectives or a lack of clarity in roles as the business evolves. Luckily, you can solve issues like these if you regularly check on your team members.

You need to understand the difference between communicating with your team and micromanaging your team. You don’t want to come off as overbearing.

3. Personalize the expectations and provide resources to meet them

Consider the strengths and weaknesses of your team members when you set expectations. Are you assigning the task to the right person?

All your employees are bound to have different capabilities. You need to know how to navigate them and find the best person for the task. Here are some techniques you can use to do that:

• Open a subtle, low-pressure conversation on the topic
• Check out their user profiles on platforms like Facebook and LinkedIn
• Create friendly competitions to identify who has what skills
• Listen to and observe them in and out of the workplace
• Get feedback from other team members

Make sure your team has the required resources to get the job done. If you’re a sales agency, you need to provide customer profiles so your employees can identify your target audience. A company handbook is also a good way to go.

4. Ask for feedback from your team and give feedback

Communication is a two-way street; when you give information, expect to receive feedback. It’s advisable to get feedback from your team members to be sure they understand what’s expected of them and how to go about it. Ultimately, this boosts employee productivity . Here are some ways to get feedback:

Pulse purveys

These are short surveys with at most 3 questions for your team. Like the name suggests, this survey helps you keep your finger on the pulse. Most pulse surveys go this way, “On a scale of 1-10, how likely are you to recommend our workplace to friends?”

New employee surveys

These surveys usually go out to new employees after their first 30-90 days working at an organization. It helps you determine how well employees are settling in and how you can improve their stay in your organization.

Review sites

There’s bound to be that one person who doesn’t give concrete feedback to your team. Some people just won’t open up to their bosses. They may, however, share their thoughts on external review sites.

It’s a good idea to check out these sites once in a while to see what people say about your company. Some of the most popular review sites include Glassdoor, Indeed, and Career Bliss.

5. Assess your team

One more way to effectively communicate your team expectations is to assess your team. This can be in the form of performance appraisals or simply one-on-one meetings. This way, you can identify who meets the mark and who doesn’t.

This assessment aims to recognize where you need to make some changes and not to make your employees feel unappreciated or useless. If team members can’t meet your expectations, you may revise the expectations or help them do a better job at it.

Get expert help

Setting team expectations is critical to a productive, successful, and engaged team. They allow you to ensure that everyone is on the same page and working toward common goals.

If you’re looking to convey your sales team expectations without the usual hassle, MetaGrowth Venture can help. We’re strategically positioned to provide you with tools and practical solutions plus a combined 30,000 hours of counseling and coaching in the sales space. This is geared toward helping founders like you focus on the bigger picture of growing your business.

Get in touch with us to know more about how we can help you effectively communicate your sales team’s expectations for maximum results.