Are you setting realistic expectations?

Setting realistic expectations are very important on both a personal and professional level. On a personal level, we each set our own expectations. We expect a certain level of treatment from others, and we decide what behaviour we will and will not accept.

If you are a leader in the workplace, your role is to set expectations that others need to adhere to. At times, this can be a tough gig! Soften the challenge by being honest. When you set honest expectations, you give a realistic view and allow people the opportunity to meet those expectations. Or else, they could decide the job is not for them and you may have wasted time in recruiting and training someone who does not fit into your environment.

Let them know about the culture of your workplace, the values and behaviours that underpin that culture and what is expected to successfully fulfil the role. Set them up for success! How can people excel and meet your expectations, if you haven’t told them how to reach the goal?

When I was recruiting for my own team, I used to tell candidates that recruitment is a challenging industry. We deal in the grey area. We sell people for a living (and no, my name is not “Madam”) and that they will be working in a pressure cooker. However, along that journey and as a team, we have as much fun as possible! Shout out to one of my team who hid in a printer box for ten minutes just so he could surprise me! (you know who you are).

So, to conclude - lead by example, be honest with your team, set clear expectations and have some fun along the way! Grab hold of those belly laughs and see how much productivity increases.