Updated November 11th, 2024

It’s no secret that dealing with people is stressful, especially when you’re a first-time manager and are setting expectations about what’s coming forward. It’s a great challenge for sure, but the way I see it, it’s also an opportunity to set up the basis for success in your team. So, if you’re about to walk into a management role for the first time, you want to read until the end of this blog post because I’m about to share with you five strategies that will help you set expectations in your team and achieve your desired results.

But before we deep dive, snag a seat for my FREE class, How to Become an Effective Leader so You Can Build a High-Performance Team, here!

Let’s Start with the Basics: What Does Setting Expectations Mean?

To put it in a simple way, setting expectations is similar to creating a guide for your team to follow. It’s the way you define the standards and goals you want them to meet, and it involves the following:

• Defining every team member’s role and how they will be held accountable.
• Setting up responsibilities, timelines, expected results, and KPIs for each team member.
• Communicating the expected behavior and values of your team.
• Indicating the ‘what and the how’ for their role, meaning what’s expected of them and how they can achieve it.
• But above all, it means creating an environment where your team feels motivated, aligned, and supported.

As we mentioned before, your role as a first-time leader should be to make this task a priority, and here are some of the reasons why:

1. Improves communication. When everyone is on the same page, the communication flows smoothly.
2. People take accountability for their actions – a huge advantage for you as a leader!
3. Your team is more motivated. And here’s why: when every team member knows the impact of their work, it really makes them compromise and achieve the desired results, and sometimes, exceed them. Repeat with me: A highly motivated team is a highly productive team. 😉
4. Reduces possible confusion, misunderstandings, and overwhelm!

With all these many benefits, the only question left to ask is: where to begin? I’m glad you asked that because I’m about to reveal five strategies you want to follow for setting expectations as a first-time leader.

1. Think About Capacity

When setting your expectations, the first thing to think about is who you’ll be talking with. Consider their role in the company. Are they new to the team, experienced, or have they just switched departments? Knowing this can really help you have more productive conversations. For example, if someone has been around for a while, you can dive into company policies without a problem, while a newer team member might still be getting up to speed.

Also, think about what they’re working on. When you’re talking to someone in a higher position, like someone who tackles complex problems, it’s great to focus on the results. On the other hand, for a frontline team member or a new hire, it’s important to provide clear, step-by-step expectations so they know how to succeed in their role.

Keeping your team’s capacity in mind will provide you with more efficient conversations.

2. Know Your Team’s Responsibilities and Results: What, When, Why

Setting expectations as a first-time leader is easier when you know your team’s what, when, and why.

What: Refers to each team member’s specific tasks and responsibilities. For example:

• What specifically do you want to see this person do?
• What examples can you use to articulate your point so it really makes sense to the person you are speaking with?

When: Refers to the specific timeline for which you need those tasks. For example:

• When do they need to complete these tasks?
• When do they need to start implementing the changes that you are suggesting?
• When they get stuck, what do you want them to do?

Why: The why is probably the most important when setting expectations because you provide context. Instead of just giving orders, you include them in the tasks.

• Why am I asking this person to do this?
• Why does it need to be completed by this date?

Knowing the reason behind it compromises your team and shows them their role and impact in playing their part.

3. Clearly Communicate Your Expectations

Now that you have taken the time to think about who you are speaking with and have outlined your expectations in terms of what, why, and when, it’s time to communicate them to the other person.

My biggest suggestion is to take notes so you don’t forget anything. Have a page with everything you want to cover in your meeting so nothing is left out and you are crystal clear when expressing your expectations.

Preparing shows you are serious and will allow you to be more articulate and get to the point instead of trying to remember everything you want to say.

4. Reasonability Check

As you can imagine, setting expectations isn’t a one-way street.

After you have clearly communicated your expectations, check in with the person you are speaking with by asking if what you are asking sounds reasonable.

Giving someone the chance to voice their opinion lets them feel seen and heard. Even if you disagree with what they are saying, it still gives them space to tell you what they think.

Another reason you want to ask if your expectations are reasonable is that you may not have all the information, and what you’re asking is unreasonable for reasons you are not aware of.

If you request to make a task, it is not negotiable. However, it is crucial to find out what obstacles this person might face so you can implement a plan to complete the task.

5. Provide Feedback

I cannot emphasize on this aspect enough! Setting expectations is not a one-time conversation.

Providing feedback and constantly putting in the effort will let that person know if they are on the right track or have fallen off.

• If they are on track, you want to tell them that you notice their excellent work and encourage them to continue doing a fantastic job.
• If you notice they are off track, you need to catch that as quickly as possible. Seeing someone get off track quickly will prevent them from wasting time and resources and correct them so they don’t think what they are doing is right.

You don’t want to wait until a performance review to find out they have gone way off track and now have to double back and redo everything they have been working on. Checking in with your team members often and providing feedback will help everyone meet their expectations.

As a final thought, I want you to remember this: setting expectations is similar to an art; you want to take your time to create an actual masterpiece. Take it one step at a time, communicate clearly, and remember to ask for feedback! By setting expectations, you’re building a culture of trust, accountability, and growth for both you and your team.

Comment below with any questions about these strategies and pin this article so you can come back to it whenever you need it.