Establishing Expectations with your Manager
How do you go about establishing mutual expectations with your own manager?
My manager is very "hands-off". He does not micro-manage. He clearly has established that his direct reports are fully responsible for their outcomes. They will be given full credit for any accomplishment and will suffer the consequence of any failure. This makes it imperative to fully understand every aspect of every project by managing upward. Having a good open relationship and being ready to "come to conflict" is a must. But knowing when it is time to back off and come to an agreement is equally necessary. This will lead you and your manager to an understanding of each other, allowing you to "get a feel" for even unstated wants or desires on the part of your manager that you can also work to satisfy.
It is also good to give brief, periodic updates to avoid anxiety on the part of your manager and the resulting request for update. But these should be based on your manager's style and his/her "clock" for requesting updates. This is also doable only after you have a good understanding of your manager.
Bruce,
You make a very important point about the two-way nature of leadership. As a leader, we need to adapt our communication to the person being led. One of the things we talk about a lot in class is "ASK" - did you ask them how much help they wanted, for example?
Also, in terms of working with our own leader, it is equally important to adapt to them. It's like the #1 rule of Improv - make the other person look good and all goes well, with conflict and without. Everyone must learn to ASK for what they and others need. Leaders must coach people they are leading to help them lead.
As a leader, I'd be extremely proud to have someone who worked for me write something like this.
Happy 2009! Lou Russell
In my case I have an open channel with my boss. This, in one way or another, allows me to understand the business from my boss's perspective. Another key issue is the understanding that my performance is often the key to the success of my boss. I have been with the same boss for years, and he knows that I try to live up to the performance expectations set for my job. Another key issue is that I always treat him with the respect his position warrants.
Fernando,
I find that people who are most open to growing their own leadership abilities either had very good leaders or very bad leaders to learn from. You are fortunate to be one with a good leader it sounds like. It is important to realize that a leader and staff cannot be successful independent of each other, which you shared.
What characteristics of your leader to you most admire and strive to grow?
Lou Russell
A good way to establish expectations, is to first note your own strengths and weaknesses. This allows a manager to understand what he is up against as far as delineating what is clearly expected of a team member.
Hi Christie! Thanks so much for your comments! You raise a valuable point in that before we can establish expectations for our team members, we must first complete a self-assessment of our own strengths and challenges - that process clearly has a positive impact on how we anticipate desired results when working with others. A colleague of mine once said, "In building a team, I have always surrounded myself with at least one person who made me feel a little uncomfortable - not a yes person, one who saw things differently, and one who kept me on task."
Jay Hollowell
Guest Facilitator
ML101
Most companies have a mission statement which lends to a top priority goal. That goal is usually a dollar amount of business, student enrollment number, or market share. Whichever method of measurement is used you need to make sure that your expectations coincide with that goal. In my line of business it is student enrollments. There is an annual goal and then it is broken down into quarters. My manager is responsible for several schools. I know that I must do my part in getting our campus to hit our number. In the end you either hit that number of you don't! There are times where we may have to overproduce to help make up for schools who fall short of vice versa. The important thing is that our first priority is to make our own goal the manager sets for us and then (secondly) to help them make their overall goal for all schools if we can. This shows a cooperative effort and understanding that we are part of a team and want them to make their numbers as well.
PON
C-O-M-M-N-I-C-A-T-I-O-N.... and proper communication at that. I can't count the numerous times that I've been completely confused as to what my current objectives are, or the correct deadlines, or even whether or not my department should even be completing that task!
Of course, that would be 50% my fault as well. All communication works both ways.
Yes, communication is key. The form of that communication needs to be considered. Are details documented? Are those expectations continuously discussed and aligned? And what is the communcation like when expectations are achieved or exceeded? That will go a long way to determining how expectations are established in the future...
I have a manager that does not express his expectations at all. In fact he will make decesions or make changes within the organization without talking them over with me. This causes some very difficult situations. I make every attemt to bridge this by meeting with him on a weekly basis to see what he is thinking. By meeting with him I get some ideas of what he is thinking however I never get the full picture. It should be noted that he is very hands off and only spends about 1 day a week in the office. I try to communicate with him on a regular basis using e-mail and phone calls but this still does not seem to help to get any kind of feedback on what he is thinking. I do know he trusts my advice and basically let's me do what I need to do to move the organization forward.
Any advice on how I can get him to be more responsive?
Edwin,
Sorry for my delay in response.
To help clarify his expectations, you could use a few of the "ideas he is thinking about" and provide back to him (in writing) your plan of action based on his ideas. If he sees what you plan/intend to do, he can intervene if he doesn't agree or provide his blessing. If he does neither, at least you have documentation to indicate your attempt to gain his feedback. Bottom line, if he doesn't provide his input, you need to take the initiative to tell him your direction.
My manager definitely uses the bottom-up style. He has expressed to me on several occasions how comfortable he is with me and my associates "running the show" when he is out AND when he is in the office. He also has an open door policy that he adheres to fervently. That being said, I make it my responsibility to get in front of him at least once a week officially (a list in hand) and to never miss an opportunity to talk to him. With this kind of a leader (which I prefer by the way), establishing expectations is pretty easy. You just ask. "Good morning boss. How's it going? Anything special come up you need me to take a look at?" would be an example of a daily meeting. A more formal or planned meeting would sound like "that is the status of the projects I am currenty involved with" or "I need some help with this" or "how are the financials? I need some equipment." Communication is the key. If you can't or won't talk and listen (actively) your organization will eventually stagnate and crumble.
My manager clearly expresses his expectations, he is very clear with deadlines, allows for open communication, yet steps back and gives you the room you need to do your job. Through his style of management, I am able to take ownership of my projects and deliver the results he expects.
I can also depend on him to provide guidance because we constantly share information and provide updates either verbally or in writing. He remains involved in all major projects that effect the organization's overarching goals yet does try to take control.
Another aspect that is mutually expected, is that when there is conflict there are solutions and suggestions on how best to address the conflict.
This can be a difficult question if one is passive and/or intiminated. In my case my manager may not know the local details (not in the weeds) but certainly has a great high level visibility of outcomes. This creates concern on setting expectations because the outcomes often dictate future goals.
A deep articulate conversation on what it takes to produce those results is often a start. Drive the meeting with conviction and be cognitive of receiving body language for acceptance or pushback. Know your business and speak to it!
You're correct, communication is key.. not too much and not too little. When I begin to feel my maanger is slipping out of the loop and I'm having a difficult time getting time with him, I always send an update with SIMPLE references on whats going on around the department.
More so the're no surprises yet fulfills the need to be "kept in the loop". It also shows a level of trust for me that I run the department with little oversite (further advancement opportunities).
I agree wholeheartedly, Wayne. Depth of dialogue will help ferret out several details regarding challenges/barriers to success and help achieve an understanding and clarity of expectations.
My manager is very straightforward so I know what is expected of me but she gives me more that I can accomplish and timeframe is not reasonable. Now I know how to approach her
Excellent Marie. The important thing is to realize the different personalities that exist & work with each person differently.
Ryan
My manager meets with me on a weekly basis to review the goals of the campus as well as the goal of my department. We haave created a good work relationship through these meetings. It is actually one meeting that isn't a waste of time.
