What good expectations look like

[00:00:00] Let's begin with a radical idea. Accountability is not punishment. It is the system that connects expectations, action, and results through trust, clarity, and follow-through. When practiced well, accountability becomes the engine of performance. When misunderstood, it becomes fear-based correction that damages both results and relationships.

[00:00:28] The real leadership truth, though, is that accountability is the necessary and daily practice of making expectations clear, staying engaged in the work, and ensuring results have meaning. You're listening to The Well-led Podcast, and this is your host, Kate Johnson.

[00:00:51] If we rewind four weeks to our last lesson for effectiveness, we see that we focused on clarity, and I shared the following key takeaways. Expectations are the best byproduct of clarity. Role clarity unlocks performance and reduces friction. Clarity directly impacts output, but can also shape energy. Clarity creates autonomy. It doesn't restrict it.

[00:01:21] I'm revisiting these here today because of how tightly linked clarity and accountability are when it comes to the day-in, day-out support your employees need. This is especially true when it comes to the core of performance management, expectations. Clarity is essential for effective expectation setting, and without expectations, we cannot create or experience accountability.

[00:01:48] If you hope to lead well, you must master what it takes to set clear, accountable expectations. The good news? It is simple. So simple. Earlier this month, I outlined a framework for accountability that relies on the process of looking at key moments before, during, and after an employee performs any assignment or task.

[00:02:14] Today, I want to move from that broader philosophy or theory to the narrow topic of what a good, clear expectation looks like. First, I'll share a few big ideas we've covered this month to help create context, and then I'll outline the super simple model you can use for any expectation. I'll walk you through a brief exercise to try this model out for yourself, and then share some examples of ways to improve vague expectations.

[00:02:49] Here is the core lesson this month. The biggest takeaway. Accountability is not something you do to people. It is something you build with them. This co-creation depends on you making work visible and doable. This visibility, what we can also call clarity, includes purpose, priorities, standards, timelines, roles, ways of working, and relationship norms.

[00:03:18] And these elements of clarity are the building blocks of expectations. At its best, accountability is an ongoing relational process, not a transaction tethered to hierarchy. When viewed in terms of relationships, we can dismantle the traditional framing of accountability as a punitive act. Instead of beginning with, did the employee perform, we begin with, did the leader create clarity?

[00:03:47] We must start with the leader's role and choices if we want to create accountability that is reciprocal, responsive, and effective. Leader, you are the first person in the accountability formula. You bring clarity, communication, context, and consistency. This facilitates your employee's performance and makes it possible for them to be accountable for execution, participation, follow-through, and raising concerns when clarity is lacking.

[00:04:17] When we start with a leader, we can avoid reactivity, blame, and punishment. Remember, accountability is not a separate disciplinary process. It is built upstream through explicit expectations, visible priorities, aligned communication, defined timelines, and shared understanding.

[00:04:38] In fact, this attitude toward accountability lets us approach it as a fully operational framework, not just philosophy, with a coherent set of repeatable leadership practices. Set expectations, track performance, provide feedback, deliver consequences. Unfortunately, there are several common failure points that employees and leaders experience in terms of accountability.

[00:05:08] These include assuming instead of clarifying. Conflicting expectations between leaders. Expectations that change without reset conversations. Overusing vague language. And treating accountability like micromanagement. You can avoid these by embracing the mindset that accountability built on clear expectations is the surest means of empowering and supporting employees to perform their work with confidence,

[00:05:38] autonomy, autonomy, and efficiency. It's all about expectations. Accountability can only exist when employees can see and understand what results are needed, why these are important both to the organization and to the employee, who needs to be involved and in what capacity, and when everything is due.

[00:06:05] So, this simple model, what, why, who, and when, for expectations is the operational foundation of accountability. Ideally, an expectation will be clear enough that anyone can walk up and understand it. Naturally, your industry or profession might have unique skills and verbiage, but if you think of the average employee at your company, the goal and expectation setting is to make it clear enough for this person.

[00:06:35] Now, let me acknowledge a concern I've encountered lots at this point. A question you might be asking yourself right now. Won't that be insulting to my employees if I'm that explicit or make me come across as a micromanager? I won't pretend that no employee will ever not feel insulted or micromanaged because of how a leader delivers an expectation. But I also won't pretend that far too many leaders drop the ball here.

[00:07:04] Missed deadlines, poor quality, customer service concerns, nearly all of the problems that plague business leaders can be traced back to insufficient expectations. Think of this as learning and practicing the fundamentals in preparation for future expertise. Skill building. And remember, you always have the agency to adapt to the level of detail

[00:07:32] you provide based on the employee and the circumstances. The way you set an expectation for a new employee will rarely be the same as what you do with your most senior team member. And yet, the fundamentals will remain the same. What, why, who, and when. So here's the application. It might be helpful to grab a pen and paper. You'll begin by identifying a role on your team. Think of a job, not a person.

[00:08:02] Next, select one task or assignment that is routinely performed by that role. Once you have the role and task in mind, you will address the four elements of an expectation with straightforward questions. We start with what outcome or results do we need? This is the head component of the work. The details and context. Start with the desired outcome to clearly set the stage for the employee.

[00:08:32] Do this by answering questions like these to communicate the what. What specifically needs to happen? What does success look like? What are the deliverables? The more specificity, the better. Think quantities. Reference known products. Refer to clients or stakeholders by name. Here's an example. The Nelson file is missing three audit checklists,

[00:08:59] specifically the order history, contact record, and invoicing summary. We need to determine if the work was done and the documentation was mislaid or if the audits still need to be completed. When you've recorded your answers, re-read them and look for opportunities to add more detail. Think of the information your employees would need to have if they can't reach you tomorrow and then add it. Next, we want to address why.

[00:09:28] Why is this important for the business? This is the heart of the assignment. You create connection when you provide information about the work's purpose to generate meaning-driven accountability. People are more accountable when they understand meaning, not just mechanics. Expectations should connect daily work to the larger mission. Questions to answer here include, Why does this matter?

[00:09:56] How does this connect to team or organizational purpose? Who is impacted? In our example, it could sound like this. This is the first miss since we implemented the new process and it could break our compliance streak. I know you understand the importance of the audit process after all the work you did on last year's quality improvement initiative. Again, review your answers. While doing so, ask yourself honestly,

[00:10:26] Is what I wrote a rationale that resonates with me or with the employee? It's very common for us to default to our own purpose and priorities here. Instead, tap into your ability to empathize, to craft the heart of the expectation for the person doing the work. You want it to matter to her. Then we can talk about who, who will do the work, and how should this work be done.

[00:10:56] With this element, you are describing the actions a specific employee or team will need to take to do the work. I often describe this as the hands element of an expectation. Ask yourself, which members of your team have the skill and knowledge to do the work? Will the assignee need support from other people or departments? What process should be followed? What standards or norms apply? What behaviors are expected?

[00:11:26] Continuing our example, we might say, I'd like for you to start by contacting Janet from Internal Audit to ask if they have the information. If not, she can provide you with the workflow and templates. She will also be your point of contact for updating the documentation. I also want you to treat this as an opportunity to analyze what happened so we can avoid the same problem happening again. Once this part of the assignment is done, let's meet to debrief, and you can tell me what gaps you've discovered.

[00:11:56] If the employee or team will need to take more than one or two steps to complete the assignment, be sure to put things in writing. This could take the form of an email you send or asking them to take notes and verifying what they've captured. Do not sacrifice important details in favor of oversimplification. Notes will make execution easier and are worth the time. The last part of a good expectation is the when.

[00:12:24] When should or must this work be completed? I like to think of this as the feet portion of an expectation, what sets it in motion and communicates a time frame or deadline. This element in particular operationalizes accountability because it creates observable commitments and timelines. Deadlines create visibility and reduce uncertainty. So provide answers to questions like these. When exactly is it due?

[00:12:53] When should updates, if any, occur? Do other assignments need to be deprioritized for this one? Our example could answer these this way. This is a high priority issue. You'll need to get started today if possible. I'd like an update on Monday during the team huddle and we can set a real deadline then. I know you're also working with Todd on his quarterly report. Will you be able to juggle these two assignments

[00:13:22] or would it be better if we asked Todd to reach out to Kim's team for support? Go ahead and determine if any of your usual work needs to be postponed. If it does, just send me an email so I'm in the loop. It's okay if the day-to-day stuff goes to the back burner while you're working on this. Now is there anything I've not taken into account that could prevent you from starting today? Note that the example I provided ends with a question. It's vital to engage your employee in dialogue

[00:13:51] when you are setting expectations and making assignments. This allows them to gain clarity, share any concerns they might have, or even simply acknowledge what you've requested of them. So now pull it all together. Look over your full what, why, who, when outline. If you posted this on your office door, could that average employee walk up and read what you've produced and know what is expected?

[00:14:19] If you're not sure, consider sharing it with your top performer or a trusted colleague and ask what might be missing or could be made even clearer. If your answer is yes, congratulations. Now go do this every day. You're ready. Why do we care so much about specificity? Why do you need to populate expectations with details? It's simple, really.

[00:14:49] Ambiguous language creates ambiguous results. Think of it this way. You will get the results you ask for. So you need to be intentional about the ask. No doubt you've been on the receiving end of a fuzzy expectation. How have you responded when told to handle this or be more professional or get this done soon? Did you know what to do first?

[00:15:17] Did you feel respected? Did you trust the person on the other side of the expectation? We can fix this. Here are two unfortunately common and miserably vague examples and my thoughts on possible improvements for each. The first is, if you could do this soon, that would be great. Now soon can mean so many things to so many people.

[00:15:45] Your soon might be the end of the day. Mine might be the end of the month. Don't leave this up to an employee's best guess if you need a result by a certain day or time. A clearer expectation could sound like this. The report is due by 10 a.m. on the 29th. I know that is a tight timeline. What might get in the way of finishing it? Our second example, I'd like you to start working on this.

[00:16:14] This expectation contains multiple forms of vagueness. Not only is the timeline non-existent, we don't get a clear picture of what the assignment really entails. Here's a better example. This project involves auditing our client files. I would like you to review the notes from the last audit and bring a recommended project plan to me by the end of next week. There's no need to start the actual audit. For now, the goal is to scope the project.

[00:16:43] What questions do you have right now? Note again that both examples of clear expectations end with a question. Each time, the question serves as an invitation to your employee and demonstrates care for their workload and needs. Because accountability does not leave relationships behind. Instead, it allows people to come together to accomplish great things.

[00:17:13] I often use chat GPT to help with my episode descriptions. I've named it Hilda. This week, I shared everything I've written about accountability in the last few years with Hilda and asked for a synthesis of how I've defined accountability over time. The response? If I were to synthesize your working definition from the material, it would sound something like this. Accountability is the shared responsibility created when leaders make expectations,

[00:17:41] purpose, responsibilities, and timelines clear enough that people can confidently act, communicate, and produce results together. Or even more simply, accountability is clarity made operational. I'll admit, I like that a lot. Accountability is care and support in action. It is more than direction and far beyond enforcement. It is the ongoing flow of managing work.

[00:18:11] It is the essence of leading well. Thank you for listening to the Well-Led Podcast. If this episode was useful, you can support the show by following or subscribing on your preferred podcast platform, or by sharing it with someone who's navigating similar questions. And if you'd like practical tools that accompany these conversations,

[00:18:38] you can find a link to request the current free leadership toolkit in the show notes. It's designed to help you put ideas from the podcast into practice, and subscribers to the 123 newsletter receive these resources automatically. We'll be back next week with another episode exploring what it means to lead well when we turn our attention to providing support with feedback. Before we wrap up, we want to share a quick note about paper,

[00:19:06] the learning experience I'm currently developing. Paper is a practical, analog method for personal effectiveness. Instead of relying on pre-designed planners or productivity apps, it teaches you how to create simple handwritten systems that help you think clearly about your priorities, responsibilities, and goals. In a world full of tools promising organization, paper focuses on something more important. Effectiveness.

[00:19:35] Connecting what you do each day to the results that matter most. You can learn more in the show notes. Thank you again.