Tips and Strategies for Setting Clear Expectations for your Employees

Cathie Leimbach • October 12, 2021

One of the most important roles you have as a manager is to set clear expectations for employee performance. Frustration and lowered performance frequently occur when you believe that your employees know what to do, but instead, they are looking for direction and clarity.

 

Your employees will appreciate knowing they are on the right track, or alternatively, exactly what they need to improve. Most employees appreciate knowing what to do and why. And they are less engaged when they do not have a clear understanding of what is required.

 

  • When developing expectations for performance, collaboration is critical. Your employees know best what the roadblocks to their success are. Allowing each employee to provide feedback and ask questions will increase clarity.

 

  • Have regular performance feedback sessions outside of your company’s formal review process, and make sure that performance expectations are in writing as well as shared verbally. 

 

  • Provide the purpose of each task and why it impacts the overall success of the company.

 

  • Determine what your expectations are. Include the why. And make sure they are clear and concise. For example:

o  Complete projects by a specific deadline so that the rest of your team can move forward with their tasks.

o  Follow up with clients within two business days, which will increase our client satisfaction.

o  Have a positive attitude, be open to feedback, and demonstrate a willingness to take input from your team members. This will create an environment where each team member can contribute to the overall project.

 

  • Minimize confusion by being crystal clear. Clearly communicate what is needed for success. For example,

o  Ensure new hires receive expectations in writing and take the time to get input and feedback to assure understanding.

o  Meet with each employee to discuss expectations, ask for feedback, and encourage questions.

o  Ensure that each employee understands your expectations and why they are essential.

 

  • Provide examples of why your expectations are important.  This will help each employee see how their performance fits into the bigger picture and help them feel their work matters.

o  Communicate why the expectations being set are important.

o  Break down the why of each expectation to minimize confusion.

o  Help each employee see how both they and the company benefit when they meet or exceed your expectations.

o  Being on time for work ensures operations run smoothly.

o  Keeping to project deadlines helps other team members complete their required work.

o  Displaying a positive attitude minimizes stress and keeps morale up among your team.

 

  • Get an agreement and a commitment from each employee.

o  Make sure that each of your employees understands and agrees to the expectations for their performance.

o  Document the expectations being outlined.

o  When performance falls below expectations, follow up immediately with the employee rather than wait for a formal review. This will help your employee understand the importance of their commitment and get on track in a timely manner.

 

Each of your employees wants to do a good job, understand how to be successful, and feel that their work and contribution matter. Setting clear expectations, getting buy-in from each employee, and providing consistent feedback will increase performance and employee engagement.

If Nothing Changes, What Will This Cost?

By Cathie Leimbach • January 20, 2026
When things feel “manageable,” leaders often continue with status quo. People are busy. Work gets done. But small issues quietly add up. Rework becomes normal. Deadlines stretch. Decisions take longer. None of it feels like a crisis, but together it eats away at time, energy, and profit. Inconsistent leadership makes it worse. When expectations change from day to day or from one manager to another, people stop giving their best. Some coast. Some get frustrated. Some start looking elsewhere. Turnover rises, along with hiring and training costs. The warning signs are usually right in front of us: Work keeps getting redone. Managers avoid tough conversations around poor performance. Good people are doing less than they could. Progress feels slower than it should. The real question isn’t, “Can we live with this?” It’s, “What is this costing us if nothing changes?” 👉 Join our 60-minute Leadership Conversation to explore how today’s patterns may be impacting your results — and what small shifts could make a big difference.

When Leadership Feels “Fine”… But Results Tell a Different Story

By Cathie Leimbach • January 13, 2026
Many leaders feel things are mostly on track. Goals are set. Meetings happen. People stay busy. On the surface, it all looks fine . But underneath, small cracks often tell a different story. You may notice work getting redone, decisions slowing down, or people quietly avoiding ownership. These aren’t just workflow problems. They’re leadership signals — and they’re easy to miss when everyone is moving fast. Leaders often believe they’ve been clear. They think people know what’s expected and who owns what. And they assume that if something was wrong, someone would speak up. But in real life, expectations get interpreted in different ways. Ownership can feel risky. And many people stay silent just to keep the peace. That gap between what leaders intend and what teams experience is where performance starts to slip. A few simple questions can help reveal what’s really going on: · Where is work quality lacking? · What decisions keep getting stuck? · Where do leaders step in instead of letting others own it? Start noticing those patterns. They point to exactly where stronger leadership can make the biggest difference. 👉 See what a 10–15% leadership shift could mean for your bottom line. View the Leadership ROI Chart .