Setting Expectations is always difficult and often frustrating—or at least it should be. This is because as a leader you need to separate team expectations from individual expectations. Setting team expectations is relatively straightforward. Teams should be expected to meet specific goals as part of a larger strategy. Everyone should be aware of goals and the plan to reach the goals. Progress should be measurable and team accountability should be clear. The challenge is for you to have clear expectations and to have solid teams in place. Then stand back.
Individual expectations can be trickier to deal with. In general, you will find that team members will perform at varying levels. Live with it. If you expect uniform execution across team members on every task you will always be disappointed. The idea is to assemble a team that will succeed as a whole. Different team members may be stronger on some undertakings than on others. You should anticipate this. The trick is to have teams that consistently hit the mark. This responsibility falls on the team as a group. If you have done your job right, the team is aware of individual variability and can handle the inconsistencies internally.
You will find substantial disagreement with this perspective in some camps. In my experience, those who differ are usually managers, not leaders. They expect everyone to function at the same level on every task. They also tend to micromanage things within the team and can’t help tinkering to help achieve their (misguided) objective. This defeats the purpose of having a team in the first place. If you have done your job well in assembling teams, the rest will follow. Not perfectly, but that’s the way it is regardless.
