The Art of Managing Employee Expectations

What Savvy Leaders Do

Dawn G. Lennon, principalBig Picture Consulting

c 2008 Big Picture Consuting 2

The Challenge

Wrestling with your own expectations

Understanding employee expectations

Meeting the business expectations of:

Your boss Your board The community

c 2008 Big Picture Consuting 3

How it all starts

The business needs talent

The candidate needs a job or wants to advance

Both parties agree to terms—title, salary, hours, work location

The deal is done

c 2008 Big Picture Consuting 4

Business Expectations

The employee can and will do the job well has a good work ethic understands that this is a business accepts the reward system will build capabilities will accept change

c 2008 Big Picture Consuting 5

Employee Expectations

The business will: adhere to the job description train/develop them provide effective supervision have fair policies treat them respectfully care about them provide opportunities do what it says

c 2008 Big Picture Consuting 6

What goes wrong?

The business leaders focus on the business.

Employees focus on themselves.

No one focuses on the relationship between the two.

c 2008 Big Picture Consuting 7

The Sounds of Disappointed Expectations

“Not another one of these assignments.” “I’m bidding on another job posting.” “I want/need more training.” “My job is boring/tedious/stressful.” “My appraisal rating wasn’t fair.” “I should have gotten that promotion.” “How long am I going to be stuck in this job?”

c 2008 Big Picture Consuting 8

Tools for Managing Expectations

ExplanationEducation InformationDialogueFeedback Inquiry

c 2008 Big Picture Consuting 9

Getting Started: Step 1

Explain the state of the business

Define the business realities affecting employees

Explain how together you make a difference

Show how each job adds value

c 2008 Big Picture Consuting 10

Getting Started: Step 2

Teach the business model

Produce/grow revenue Control/reduce costs Serve customers/stakeholders Attract/retain employees Achieve mission and goals

Align employee performance with results

c 2008 Big Picture Consuting 11

Getting Started: Step 3

Support individual development

Provide performance feedback Build capabilities Mentor Set stretch goals Provide growth assignments Develop leadership

c 2008 Big Picture Consuting 12

Focus Expectations

Savvy leader’s help employees understand that:

The business and the employee are invested in each other.

There are no guarantees only opportunities. The business wants them to grow and will

help. A successful business is the result of each

employee adding maximum value.

c 2008 Big Picture Consuting 13

Business Fitness:The Savvy Leader’s Secret Sauce

Business fitness gives employees control of their :

job/career choices growth/development connection to the business future

c 2008 Big Picture Consuting 14

How to Achieve Business Fitness:Private Moves

Stay well.

Stay focused.

Stay current.

Stay connected.

c 2008 Big Picture Consuting 15

Business Fitness:Public Moves

Attract a following.

Take the lead.

Implement new ideas.

c 2008 Big Picture Consuting 16

Results of Managed Expectations

Satisfied employees who are:

engaged working at and building their capability motivated and innovative energized adding value committed

c 2008 Big Picture Consuting 17

Managing Employee Expectations

Teach them how the business operates Show them how they impact the business by

adding value Address individual expectations Help employees become “business fit” Provide lots of specific feedback Reinforce options