Setting Clear Expectations Reduces Employee Quitting

Cathie Leimbach • July 5, 2023

Remember when you had a coach, teacher, mentor, parent, friend who believed in you 100%? Their high expectations and total belief for what you could do enabled you to perform better than you imagined, consistently and confidently.  You felt good about being successful and you wanted to experience more of these good feelings.  You knew you were in a right-fit place and never considered quitting the team.  You took more courses with that teacher because you understood their expectations.  You spent more time with that friend because you both had similar expectations of the friendship. Likewise, when managers are clear about workplace expectations and provide reinforcing feedback, employees are likely to succeed and much less likely to quit.     

 

However, a recent Harvard Business study found that 69% of managers reported being uncomfortable communicating with their employees.  When managers don't tell employees specifically what they want them to do in a way that the employees understand what is expected, there is little chance of them producing the desired results.  This often leads to managers complaining about employee performance or ignoring underperformers.  Employee frustration with their failure and inadequate communication with their boss causes them to resign, work with mediocre effort, or become a quiet quitter (to collect a paycheck but not even try to accomplish anything).

 

Effective managers make it a priority to clearly communicate expectations.  They share exactly what results they are expecting from each employee, specify which procedures are to be followed, and regulary provide feedback so employees know when they are or aren't fulfilling expectations. Imagine how your employees will feel when they know what is expected.  Good performers will be confident about keeping their job and poor performers will know where they need to improve.  Nobody will be wondering if they are on the right track so they won't be wasting time and energy worrying about their job security.  They will be likely to become strong performers who aren't thinking of quitting your organization. 


Here are some best practices for communicating expectations an regulary reinforcing them so your employees are clear about workplace expectations:

  • Connect the company "why" to your employee's "Why".  Your employees need to know why what they do matters. More importantly, they need to find a sense of purpose in your organization's mission. Treat your employees like they make a difference, and they will.
  • Be clear. Set clear expectations and goals. Meet with each of your direct reports one-on-one periodically to make sure they understand what "good performance" is. And put it in writing so that it is easy to keep track of what has or hasn't been communicated.
  • Co-Create Goals. Don't dictate. Co-creating goals and expectations will create higher buy-in and more significant accountability. Having a conversation with each of your employees will empower and support them to meet and exceed expectations.  
  • Provide C.A.R.E feedback. Continuous. Accessible. Regular. Empathetic. Schedule regular meetings continually. Be responsive, approachable, and empathetic. You have a unique opportunity to unleash the most significant contributions of others.
  • Hold them accountable.  Praise their successes, kindly point out where improvement is needed, and willingly give them the support necessary to become more effective.
  • Be approachable.  Encourage your employees to reach out to you with their questions.  Be available when they need clarification.  Welcome the disruption to your schedule when the purpose is to equip an employee to do their job more effectively. 
  • Get out of their way. Develop agreed-to expectations with each employee. Give them the support they need. And then let them do their thing. Trust that they can solve the problem, find the solution, take care of the customer, innovate and inspire other team members. 

 

As managers, it is essential that you communicate and reinforce expectations effectively and frequently.  You will be making huge deposits into your employees' confidence and performance, greatly decreasing the likelihood that they will quit your company. 


What can you do this month to communicate your expectations more clearly?  Register for - and attend - our free 45-minute webinar “3 Tips to Reduce Employee Quitting”.   

What Changes When People Actually Feel Engaged?

By Cathie Leimbach • April 7, 2026
Most leaders don’t struggle because they don’t care. They struggle because engagement feels hard to influence. But when people are engaged, the impact is hard to ignore: 18% higher sales 23% higher profitability 70% higher wellbeing These differences come from comparing the 25% of organizations with the strongest employee engagement to those in the bottom 25% (Gallup). And the stakes are bigger than most realize— disengaged employees cost U.S. organizations nearly $2 trillion in lost productivity each year (Gallup). This isn’t about perks or programs. It’s about how people are led every day. Engaged teams are clearer on expectations. They feel supported. They know their work matters. And most importantly—those conditions don’t happen by accident. They’re created in conversations: Clarifying priorities Reinforcing what good looks like Checking for understanding Following through consistently Small leadership habits drive big business outcomes. A question to consider: Where could stronger day-to-day leadership conversations improve results in your team? 👉 Join our next 60-minute Leadership Conversation: Inspiring High Performance — Monday, April 13 th at 3:00 PM ET (this is not a webinar) It’s a small-group discussion with other leaders looking at a simple question: What’s actually driving engagement—and what’s quietly holding it back? If a shift in leadership could impact sales, profitability, and wellbeing… it’s worth exploring what that might look like in your world.

4 Leadership Behaviors That Drive Trust, Performance, and Accountability

By Cathie Leimbach • March 31, 2026
Most leaders don’t struggle because they lack knowledge. They struggle because leadership opportunities show up in daily conversations —and those moments are easy to miss. The difference between average and high-performing teams often comes down to four leadership behaviors: 1. Build Trust Through Everyday Conversations Trust is built in small moments. Listen to concerns Ask thoughtful questions Follow through Address issues quickly and respectfully 🤝 Trust grows through consistent, everyday conversations. 2. Reinforce What Good Looks Like People repeat what gets recognized. Be specific: “I appreciated how you handled that client issue quickly—that made a difference.” 🔒 Clarity + recognition = stronger performance. 3. Address Problems Early—Kindly and Clearly Avoiding issues creates bigger ones. Keep it simple: What was expected? What happened? What needs to change? 👥 Clear, timely conversations reduce drama and improve results. 4. Support People So They Can Succeed Your role is to help your team succeed. Clarify priorities Remove obstacles Provide resources Coach progress 🔍 When people have clarity and support, performance follows. The Real Lever: Conversations None of this requires new systems. It happens in everyday interactions— 1:1s, quick check-ins, and follow-ups. Better conversations → better results. Quick Reflection Which one would make the biggest difference for you right now? Build trust Reinforce performance Address problems early Support success 👉 Join our next 60-minute Leadership Conversation – Inspiring Employee Performance on Monday, April 6, at 3:00 pm ET. Not a webinar. A working session with other leaders looking at what’s actually happening on their teams—and how small shifts in daily conversations change performance fast. If you're curious what even a 10% shift in consistency could look like for your team… this is a good place to start.