KEYGroup Newsletter EZINE Archives [back to EZINE archive main page] March 3, 2006 Well, the year is still young and the luster probably hasn't worn off all those resolutions you wrote down on January first. After all, as Lewis Carroll said, “When you don't know where you're going, any road will get you there.” With clear-cut expectations you can count on your employees to continue moving in the right direction, advancing your company's goals and contributing to the bottom line. Or can you? Do you know whether your employees actually have a clear understanding of your expectations? If you're like many managers you may be surprised to learn that your employees may be navigating with foggy compasses. How's That Again? Of course, in order for employees to have a clear understanding of your expectations, you have to make youself clearly understood. That's not always easy. Let's be frank. Some managers seem to go out of their way to confuse and befuddle employees. Several years ago Training & Development Journal published the results of a “Dilbert Quotes” contest in their Reality Check column (Training & Development Magazine, 2001). You remember Dilbert. He's the long-suffering cubicle dweller in Scott Adam's syndicated comic strip. Dilbert's fictional bosses are always making outrageous statements and the contest was intended to elicit “real world” examples of some of the confusing and funny directives that bosses sometimes give to employees:
Here are some others:
The Missing Picture The results of our recent survey, commissioned through MMC Marketing Research and Consulting, were really eye-opening! When we asked 1,727 professional men and women to respond to the statement “My company has given me clearly defined expectations for my job,” fully 47 percent of the participants either disagreed with the statement or were neutral about it. Results like these should worry most leaders. There's no room for ambiguity when it comes to expected results! Employees that are clueless about the company's needs and expectations clearly can't contribute to the bottom line. And … if your staff lacks clear direction you may actually be setting them up to fail. Believe me, your competitors aren't sitting still waiting for your employees to regain direction. They're ready to pounce and take advantage every time your employees make a serious misstep – which is inevitable when they struggle with fuzzy or non-existent goals. "It's never too late to be who you might have been." -- George Elliot Setting Expectations That “Click” With Employees As a leader, you want to make sure you set expectations that do the trick … that enlighten, motivate, and ultimately inspire your employees. Sound challenging? It is, but it's not so difficult if you follow my “Seven Tips for Creating a Results Culture.” Here are my top three tips:
Creating a results-focused workplace can be a tall order and very few companies can go it alone. Your best thinking got you to where you are now, but sometimes bringing in an outside source to raise your level of self-awareness is the solution. Boosting productivity and changing your culture will take some effort. It will shake up the status quo. But while change is challenging, it's also inspiring and energizing. It's often the best thing that can happen to your employees and your entire organization. For the remainder of my “Seven Tips” just click here. "Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, magic, and power in it." -- Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe The Dark Side Whenever I talk about the importance of setting expected results I am frequently struck by the realization that there is another side. The process of setting expectations may sometimes bring darkness instead of illumination, frustration instead of motivation. For one thing, there can be a lot of stress around the process of determining expected outcomes; it raises the bar for everyone. For each expectation set there has to be a reckoning at some point. Results have to be analyzed and success – or failure – measured. This can be scary for many employees and the stress levels can zoom off the charts if this process isn't done the right way. Sometimes even with the best of intentions expectation setting can backfire. A few years ago the regional sales office of a client company called me in to consult on a problem with low sales. It didn't take long to spot the problem. The corporate office had imposed new sales goals across-the-board without consulting the sales force, and without regards to territory size, location, or existing client list. Worse, there was the strong implication that sales people who missed the goal wouldn't be around very long. Needless to say there was a lot of pent-up frustration among a sales staff that felt the deck was stacked against them before they ever even got in front of the first customer! Fortunately, the company recognized the problem and quickly revamped their sales goals after much give-and-take with individual sales reps. In the end the company obtained the results it was seeking by providing an experienced and motivated sales team with a say in their own expected results. A simple concept that can be surprisingly easy to overlook! "The tragedy in life doesn't lie in not reaching your goal. .-- Benjamin Mays New eBooks Coming KEYGroup is developing a new line of eBooks to help managers and employees develop new skills for maximizing productivity and achieving higher results. If you haven't looked into eBooks yet, you'll find that they are a popular and convenient way to expand your personal and professional development “library” (your virtual library, that is). The response to our new eBook format has been very positive and we plan to continue adding new titles in the coming months. Check out our selection of eBooks, along with existing print titles, tapes and other products by visiting www.keygroupconsulting.com. All contents copyright 2006 by KEYGroup Contents may not be reproduced without permission . To learn more about how you can create a Vibrant Entrepreneurial Organization contact KEYGroup at 724-942-7900 or visit our websites www.keygroupconsulting.com & www.joannesujansky.com All contents copyright 2005 by KEYGroup® Contents may not be reproduced without permission.
To learn more about how you can create a Vibrant Entrepreneurial Organization contact KEYGroup® at 724-942-7900 or visitour websites www.keygroupconsulting.com and www.joannesujansky.com.
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