| Leadership by Expectations is both a philosophy | | | | expectations. Performance expectations that |
| and a process. Setting clear expectations is | | | | define how the employee is to go about fulfilling |
| necessary and can make a huge difference in | | | | their tasks and objectives can be the standard. |
| performance. | | | | Picture having a set of five or six clearly defined |
| THE PHILOSOPHY | | | | and measurable competencies such as: attention |
| Today it seems that management is more | | | | to detail, integrity, problem solving, |
| focused on efficiency than on effectiveness. | | | | responsiveness, and adaptability that remain |
| Effectiveness refers to doing the right things. | | | | constant throughout a given year, while |
| Efficiency refers to doing things right. Peter | | | | assignments change. |
| Drucker taught that efficiency must be built on a | | | | What does this give you? The ability to measure |
| foundation of effectiveness. When talent and | | | | not only the RESULTS of performance but also |
| effort are applied to the wrong things, the results | | | | the ACTIONS the employee takes to accomplish |
| are useless. | | | | the assignment. What are you now able to |
| For instance, it is efficient to fill out a | | | | measure? Not only are they doing right things, but |
| performance appraisal form at the end of the | | | | are they doing the things right? In other words |
| year. It is effective to meet with employees | | | | are they being both effective and efficient? |
| regularly throughout the year. Yet, talking with | | | | Both Results and Actions are important. |
| one senior manager about how much time he | | | | 2. The key to Leadership by Expectations is |
| spent with his employees, his immediate response | | | | employee involvement. The leader and employees |
| was, "Spend time with my employees? I don't | | | | use a simple structured process to select and |
| have time to spend with my employees!" | | | | define the essential competencies for success and |
| So if a leader doesn't spend time with their | | | | the related performance expectations. Recurring |
| employees, are they a leader? Why do they need | | | | tasks and responsibilities and long-term objectives |
| to spend time growing and developing their | | | | can also be included. |
| employees? To enhance performance? To | | | | 3. Each competency needs a single performance |
| maintain focus? To build relationships and retain | | | | expectation that is written in an outcome based |
| talent? | | | | format. Do something in order to get some |
| Why do so many managers resist regular | | | | outcome. |
| performance discussions with their employees? | | | | 4. The employee gathers verifiable Action |
| The typical answer is a lack of time. A | | | | Examples of how they have demonstrated the |
| psychologist once told me that the first reason a | | | | performance expectations in pursuit of their |
| patient gives is usually not true. More likely than | | | | objectives. Documenting one Action Example per |
| not the resistance falls into one of four | | | | week (taking 2-5 minutes) provides the basis for |
| categories, | | | | discussions. |
| 1) fear of causing morale problems, | | | | 5. The leader schedules monthly meetings with |
| 2) fear of confrontation and having to defend a | | | | the employee. Meeting for 15-20 minutes per |
| position, | | | | month. All the leader needs to do then is ask, |
| 3) not having observed anything of substance to | | | | which performance expectation do you want to |
| talk about, or | | | | talk about first? The employee then shares an |
| 4) not knowing how to effectively go about it. | | | | example and then the leader asks the employee |
| There is a need to shift the paradigm managers | | | | to rate the outcome of the example and then |
| and organizations have for leaders. The traditional | | | | the actions taken to get the result. |
| focus on objectives and results is only part of the | | | | 6. As a pattern of examples begins to emerge |
| story. Yet because objectives are often changed | | | | the employee can identify personal development |
| throughout a given period of time, there needs to | | | | needs, leading to a more effective opportunity for |
| be some standard that is consistent over the | | | | the leader to actually act as a coach and help the |
| same time period. | | | | employee to develop new skills. |
| Which leads to Leadership by Performance | | | | Moral: One key to effective leadership is |
| Expectations. | | | | developing the talent and performance of |
| THE PROCESS | | | | employees. Leadership by Expectations is |
| The process is simple. | | | | designed to make the process both effective and |
| 1. Each position needs to have both performance | | | | efficient. |
| objectives and behavioral-based performance | | | | |