People want to understand their role - they want to do well! So by being clear, really clear about what it expected of them, makes a big, big difference! And that improves performance as well as saving you time chasing others around to deliver what you want.

5 Tips

• Be Clear - your people need to know what they are doing, both in terms of actions and the standards that you will be expecting. By being really clear, checking understanding and having it written down makes a big difference.

• Have Patience - accept that people will want to challenge your explanations and that it is your responsibility to ensure that they understand. Enable them, indeed encourage them to come back to you with questions.

• Keep in Touch - by building great relationships with all of your people, you keep open a door which helps them get better clarity of your expectations of them. Help that happen.

• Fine Tune - especially when new roles come along, there may be a need to sit down with the individual and fine tune responsibilities. This doesn't mean weakening, more to show that there is a will, on both sides to make it work.

• Encourage Others - by setting a great example, others in your organisation will take it on board and there provides an opportunity to share learning and encourage new skills and development.

5 Questions

1. How many of your people have clear Performance Expectations?

2. What percentage of these people have you discussed their understanding of these expectations and the standard of delivery you expect?

3. When was the last time you refined the performance expectations of someone in your team?

4. How do you assess the standards of activity delivery which meet the organisations requirements?

5. How have you shared you're the Performance Expectations made of yourself, with your people?

With this level of clarity on Performance Expectations, working together becomes a snip and you will have far less timewasting chasing of individuals' performances. And overall, your business/organisational performance will soar.

Copyright 2005 Martin Haworth is a Business and Management Coach. He works worldwide, mainly by phone, with small business owners, managers and corporate leaders. He has hundreds of hints, tips and ideas at his website, http://www.coaching-businesses-to-success.com. (Note to editors. Feel free to use this article, wherever you think it might be of value - it would be good if you could include a live link)

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