Expectations of?Leaders: An unofficial "official" guide

Do the people you work with know what to expect of you and what you expect of?them?

There is great value in written documentation. Committing words to paper forces clarity. No where is this more valuable than in setting expectations for leaders in an organization.

I first put pen to paper and documented my own set of expectations about 15 years ago and they have gone through several iterations since then. The scope has both been expanded and refined with time and experience, but the general concepts have stayed the same. I have discussed these (or some version) and given a copy to every person I have hired or started working for me the past 15 years. Many of these concepts are mine - others I have borrowed from what I have experienced, read, or otherwise been exposed to. With that, you may see some concepts first espoused by others; what's unique to me is integrating them together, and more importantly working to live them every day.

Leadership styles, communication preferences, and expectations should not be a secret. If we are going to be working together, here are mine.

My role?

Create the conditions for you and your team, as well as for our collective organization, to succeed.

My philosophy

?I have a leadership and management philosophy that has three main tenants.?These three principles will guide my actions:

1.????Know your stuff - be strategically strong and technically sound

2.????Take care of your team - support the professional and personal success and development of those you lead

3.????Do the right thing - make decisions that are in the company’s best interest?

My goal is to provide guidance, context, and help you understand why things are important; with that, go about doing your job as you see fit.?Unless necessary, I will not tell you how to do your job.??

This philosophy informs both what I expect of you, as well as what you can expect from me.

What I expect of leaders?

Be calm in the storm

You are in a storm. The captain must steady the ship, watch all the gauges, listen to the department heads, and steer through it. If the leader loses their head, confidence will be lost and the glue that holds the team together will start to give way. So assess the situation, move fast, be decisive, but remain calm and never let them lose confidence in you. Remember, perpetual optimism is a force multiplier.

Solve problems

The day you are not solving problems is a day you are no longer leading. If your desk is clean and no one is bringing you problems, you should be very worried. It means that people don’t think you can solve them or don’t want to hear about them. Or, far worse, it means they don’t think you care.

I trust you to meet one-on-one with our most critical constituencies on the most difficult topics

A large part of our team’s success is expanding our sphere of influence and working with other groups both internal and external to our organization. I can’t be present for all those interactions and need you to be able to speak for the team on our behalf in any those delicate conversations. We need to be in alignment for that to happen.

I have a high degree of confidence that you will consistently execute well

You wouldn’t be in the role you are in if you weren’t a consistently strong operator. Keep that up – set an example for your team by maintaining that level of execution and expect the same from them.

You’re chronically discontent with where the company and your team are today

Constantly ask yourself, “What aren’t we doing that we should be?” Strive to improve all aspects of your team every day.?

You have the skills, commitment, and leadership necessary to lead your team for the company we aim to be in two years

Leadership for the present is good. Developing and displaying a vision for the future is a must.?Articulate that to your team and inspire them about where we can go. Two years is not the endgame, but rather a proxy for a forward-looking mindset.

You exercise great judgment and wisdom when it comes to what’s critical to our business

It’s important to understand the broader business context and overall strategic approach our organization is taking.?

You consistently work to develop your team personally and professionally

In addition to executing day-to-day work, we need to continue to develop individual’s skills. Actively pursue growth opportunities and don’t let short-term team needs eclipse growth opportunities for individuals. You will commit in writing your expectations for your team as well as personal operating principles.

Keep me apprised of significant events in your team (personal and professional)?

I want to stay involved with events that happen in your team. Similarly, I want to avoid being surprised by questions or concerns that come down from higher. I understand this is a two-way street and I need to keep you informed of information I know from other parts of the organization. Good, two-way communication will help us be successful.

What you can expect from me

A few key points about my style

• My goal is to support you. My primary function is to make sure that you have the tools and support you need to effectively perform in your role. I will do everything in my power to create the conditions and an environment that will allow you to be maximally effective as a leader.
• How I think about decision making. In many situations, a good plan aggressively executed now is better than a great plan executed next week. With that, quick decisions can be good. There are times, though, when we may not need a decision right away and I like to let the situation “soak” (perhaps a few hours, perhaps a few days). If you need a decision quickly, please let me know. I expect you are making decisions a lot without me and if you come to me I’ll usually put it back on you with, “What do you want to do?” and just help you decide. That said, if there is a big one brewing, I’d love to know about it and I’m always here to talk it out.
• I work to be hands-off.?I’m not a micro-manager and I won’t sweat your details unless I think things are off track and if I do, I’ll tell you my concern and we can work from there. That said, when I am new to a project or team I like to get into the work alongside people; that’s part of ‘knowing your stuff’.
• I’m very people focused. I take great interest in people and their development. Make sure we’re touching base on your team, building our teams’ skills as individuals and as teams constantly, and that I know when there are superstars and challenges so we can help people together. I always like to know what’s going on personally with people so I can see the whole picture. If something hard is going on with someone on your team, let me know.
• I like data (when it’s available). I like data and dashboards so there is one, objective (ideally) way to measure progress and results but I dislike being bogged down in data and torturing the numbers. Let’s review consistent information on what really matters and use data to get insight, not to lull ourselves into thinking we know what’s going on or to try to find answers that might involve going with our gut.

Communications

• Overall, I like more communication rather than less. Remember that communication is a two-way street. If you ask me a question, I will follow up. If you need assistance, I will help.??I can only do this if you communicate with me. Keep me, and the rest of the team, informed by asking continually asking yourself, “What do I know??Who needs to know it??Have I told them?” Don’t be concerned with giving me too much information - I will let you know if you are giving me too much.?
• I don’t believe I will create a lot of email volume and I’ll be the first to recommend we do a quick in-person sync to resolve something versus a long email exchange. Or better yet, you can be the first to recommend it, and I’ll be the second.
• If you come to me with a problem or question that requires follow-up, I will do everything possible to get you an answer or the necessary assistance as soon as possible.
• I see great value in written documentation. Committing words to paper forces clarity.
• I often read/send emails and work in the evening. If I send you an email outside of normal working hours, I do not expect you to reply right away. I do that since we work across time zones and some folks will benefit by having information early in their next day; we need to be able to operate asynchronously. If there is an urgent and critical after hours need, I will call or somehow make it obvious that immediate action is needed…if I try to get in touch with you multiple times within a short period of time, that’s the signal we need to talk immediately.

Email

• I will read every email I get in a day but may not respond just so you know I read it - expect me to respond if you ask me something directly or I have a question. Thus, assume I did read the email within the day, but if you think I owe you a response ping me and I won’t be offended.
• I enjoy FYI emails when you send me something you saw, a customer anecdote, an article, some data, or something someone on your team did and if you write FYI in the subject or in the forward I’ll know it’s for my information but not requiring response or urgent reading and I’ll do the same for you. FYI = no response required.
• If you add me to a team email celebrating something that I somehow missed, I know that’s the signal to weigh in usually with “Good job”, so go ahead but don’t overuse it.

Text/Slack/Phone

• Text me if you need to get in touch with me on an urgent or timely manner. I don’t text a great deal, so those get my attention when I see them.
• I’m pretty good about responding to Slack, but not as timely as texts. I’ll definitely respond, but it might not be right away. If I happen to see a Slack and am available, I’ll respond right then. Otherwise, it may be a few hours.
• If you call me, I will always pick up if I can. If I’m not available, you can expect a text back “I’m not available right now”. Following up with a text, email, or leaving a vm lets me know you want me to get back to you. If I miss a call from you and there is no other follow up, I’ll assume a call back is not required.

1:1s

• I see 1:1s as best for substantial topics like the team, people, initiatives, and broader company events and news. We can both bring topics to discuss, though will look for you to drive the discussion with what is most important to you. mine. If you need a quick answer on something, don’t wait for the next 1:1.
• I see these as “your” time, so I’ll look for you to start and drive the agenda with what you want to discuss. If it’s a meaty topic, send me a note in advance so I can think about it prior to our discussion. Once we cover all your topics, we can move to mine.

Accountability and organization

• I take action items really seriously and I expect you to know what yours are, when they are due, and get them done. I don’t like chasing them and I do notice when things slip. It’s fine to renegotiate deadlines but I’ll be annoyed if it’s the day after the deadline.I dislike being caught last-minute with people working hard on something we could have gotten ahead of; anticipate big work efforts and let’s be in front of them together.
• I like plans that are documented. I don’t necessarily care if it’s Slides or Docs or spreadsheets (but if we need to collaborate on it think about version control and how we’ll work together efficiently in the chosen medium) but I expect detailed work has been done when needed.
• I loathe “hoping” and “waiting”. Professionals don’t plan on either of those. Take a proactive course of action. Don’t think either of those two words, and certainly don’t say them out loud.
• Be careful with assumptions. Make reasonable ones when needed, state them clearly, and never hang your hat on them.
• No finger pointing if something goes wrong. I praise in public and counsel in private.
• Do the right thing and I got your back.

Feedback

• I like it. I like to give it and I like to receive it, particularly constructive. We’re in this to get better together. I also like to know how and what your team is thinking and feeling and I will do skip levels, office hours, etc. Remember, whatever I hear or see, I have your back and I’ll tell you when I’m concerned. Anyone who vents to me about you is going to get my help to tell you directly.
• Don’t follow me like a lemming. If what I am saying or doing doesn’t make sense, question it.

Results

Let’s achieve great ones and celebrate them as a team.