Years ago I was taught by one of my mentors that you must “create the desired outcome, share it with the team, and then inspect what you expect.” When properly applied, this ensures that each individual is crystal clear on the expectations of their role in the business.
His advice came back to me as I was speaking with a close friend who was in a legal battle with a staff member. As we discussed how things had degenerated into a state of affairs that involved attorneys, we both realized that it was rooted in a failure of communication.
This is no surprise when expectations are not clearly stated in writing, agreed upon through discussion, and then evaluated on an ongoing basis. His concern about the increasing divergence between revenues posted and monies collected revealed the problem that expectations had never been turned into a written “policy” (outcome), and therefore, the question was directed at the “person” and not the situation. The person reacted poorly. When things get personal, they routinely get ugly.
- Are you clear on expectations in your office?
- Is everyone?
- Are the expectations written and agreed upon?
- Do you evaluate them routinely?
- Are you keeping score?
Ugly isn’t fun.
