Jackie Zach
August 26, 2024
Tune in as Jackie Zach and Mike McKay discuss the crucial role of setting clear expectations in a business environment. Jackie shares a story from a management class experiment where clear expectations around punctuality and accountability improved participants’ behavior without the need for penalties. Mike adds a more Draconian perspective from his experience in a union factory, where enforcing strict rules significantly reduced tardiness. Both hosts stress that leaders must model the behavior they expect from their teams, emphasizing that clarity in expectations fosters accountability and productivity.
The conversation also touches on the importance of consistency and communication in setting expectations. They discuss how allowing exceptions undermines the effectiveness of expectations and highlight the need for clarity in goals. The hosts explore the concept of SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) as a framework for setting clear expectations that lead to better business outcomes. They conclude by emphasizing that clear expectations not only enhance employee performance and engagement but also contribute to overall business success by reducing confusion and aligning everyone toward common goals.
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Podcast Transcript
Jackie Zach: Welcome to the Tough Love for Business podcast! I’m Jackie Zach, and I’m here with my awesome co-host, Mike McKay. Today, we’re discussing expectation setting—why it’s crucial, and what happens when you do or don’t set clear expectations.
Mike McKay: Before we dive in, let me just say, this podcast is going to be awful.
Jackie: That’s setting the bar low, right?
Mike: Exactly. If you set the bar low enough, then stepping over it seems like a huge achievement.
Jackie: This topic came up for me because I’m currently facilitating a 12-week management class, and we’ve had issues with people not showing up on time. We were also discussing expectations and consequences, so it all tied together.
Mike: Yeah, that’s a classic example—like what we talked about a couple of weeks ago with excuses. We set consequences for our team not showing up on time, but then we can’t even get to a training session on time ourselves!
Jackie: Pretty ironic, huh? So, I decided to experiment. I wasn’t sure how to approach it, but I told them my expectation: “Everyone needs to be on time so we can start without interruptions.” The next week, everyone showed up on time—some even early. I also set an expectation for homework: I’d publicly show who did and didn’t turn it in. I didn’t specify consequences; I just let them know what to expect. The result? Everyone was on time, and homework completion improved significantly.
Mike: Ah, public shaming!
Jackie: There were no direct consequences, just clear expectations. I asked the group, “What did you notice this week?” They all realized they were more punctual and better at turning in homework. It was eye-opening for them, and a great lesson for me to keep using in management training—especially for those who struggle with being on time.
Mike: You won’t be surprised that I have a more Draconian approach. I once spoke for an event where I told everyone, “I’m starting at 10 o’clock sharp, whether you’re here or not, and I won’t repeat myself.” After the first break, some people rolled in late and asked me to start over. I refused. They complained, but I pointed out that they had been complaining about their own employees not being on time, so they needed to walk the talk. If you let people come in late and make excuses, you’re undermining your ability to set clear expectations.
I once managed a union factory where people weren’t punching in on time. I decided: “No punch, no pay.” Some claimed it was against the contract, but I held firm. After I withheld pay for late punches, the problem almost disappeared. It still happened occasionally, but only when there was a legitimate reason, like a train hitting a cow—things we could verify. Once you stop allowing excuses, you can set and enforce clear expectations.
Jackie: Right, because if you allow excuses, you lose control over the expectations you’ve set. And you’re also inconveniencing everyone who did follow the rules.
Mike: Exactly. If you’re an employer, you’re paying your people—just like I’m providing value in this training. But if you let them come in late without consequence, you’re sending the message that timeliness doesn’t matter. You can’t expect punctuality from your team if you’re not consistent about it yourself.
Jackie: And being late may seem like a small thing, but what about bigger issues? Like you always say, Mike, “Do you know what you’re being paid for?” As an employer, do you know what you’re paying for? If you’re not clear about the results you expect, that’s a big problem.
Mike: If you don’t know what you’re paying your employees to do, then you’re already getting what you deserve.
Jackie: Exactly. Setting clear expectations is crucial. If life is a mirror and you’re not getting the results you want from your team, the first question to ask is: Have you set the proper expectations?
Mike: Do you even know what you want? And have you communicated that clearly enough for your team to understand and deliver?
Jackie: It reminds me of a high school biology teacher who had us draw a flower, with precise measurements between the labels. He set such a clear expectation that everyone did it perfectly. That clarity taught us the importance of detail.
Mike: And for those thinking, “Yeah, but millennials,” I can assure you, millennials crave even more specific outcome descriptions. They want to know exactly what success looks like. That’s actually a gift to you as a leader—just tell them the result you want, and let them figure out how to get there, as long as it’s legal, ethical, and moral.
Jackie: Right. It starts with setting goals for your business. What are you expecting the company to achieve this year, this quarter, in five years? Then, set expectations for each employee on how they’ll contribute to that goal.
Mike: But it needs to be detailed. Instead of asking, “Can you do that?” ask, “Will you have that done by Tuesday at 5 PM?” If it’s not done by then, ask why. That’s a SMART goal, right? It’s specific, measurable, and achievable. Clarity leads to accountability, and people thrive on that clarity—knowing exactly what they’re supposed to do and by when.
Jackie: So, the tough love here is, if you’re not sure about the expectations you’ve set for your team, now’s the time to figure it out. If they don’t know what’s expected of them, that’s a great place to start.
Mike: And my tough love advice: You can’t show up late and expect your team to be on time. That’s leadership. Until next time, Jackie…