Communicating Performance Expectations

Stuck in an endless loop of client changes? Lost track of what revision this constitutes? Yeah. Been there. Done that. The secret? It's not about saying no. It's about saying yes to the right things upfront. Every project that goes sideways starts the same way: Vague agreements. Fuzzy boundaries. Good intentions. Six weeks later you're bleeding money and everyone's frustrated. Here's my framework after 30 years of running two 8-figure businesses: The SOW is your salvation. Not some boilerplate template. A real document that covers: • Exact deliverables (not "design work" but "3 homepage concepts, 2 rounds of revisions") • Hours of operation ("We respond M-F, 9-5 PST. Weekend requests get Monday responses") • Revision rounds spelled out ("Round 1 includes up to 5 changes. Round 2 includes 3.") • Feedback cycles defined ("48-hour turnaround for client feedback or the project may be delayed or additional fees may be incurred") But here's what most people miss— Don't work on client notes immediately. Client sends 37 pieces of feedback at 11pm Friday? Producer sends conflicting notes from the CEO? Marketing wants one thing, sales wants another? Stop. Collect everything first. Resolve the conflicts. Get on the phone and discuss it with your client to get alignment. Separate the "have to haves" from the "nice to haves". Then present unified changes. "Based on all feedback received, here are the 8 changes we'll implement. This constitutes revision round 2 of 3." Watch how fast the random requests stop. No extra work that goes unappreciated. No more feelings of being taken advantage of. Communicate before the crisis, prevents the crisis from happening. "Just so you know, we're entering round 2. You have one more included. After that, it's $X per additional round." No surprises. No awkward money conversations. No resentment. Scope creep isn't a them problem. It's a you problem. And that's good news, because that means you are in control. They're not trying to take advantage. They just don't know where the boundaries are because you never drew them. Draw the lines early. Communicate them clearly. Everyone wins. What's your most painful scope creep story? What boundary would've prevented it? Small Business Builders #projectmanagement #clientmanagement #businessgrowth

I started my career as a designer. Sometimes, it was frustrating when a client kept changing directions. Or adding one change after another. I know that feeling wasn't one-sided. It affected us both. The pressure is real when you're responsible for deliverables. It's tough to recognise the challenges others face. It's rarely just one party's fault—it's a shared issue. At the core, it's about communication. Here’s how we solve it now: - Define the scope clearly - Conduct a kick-off meeting for alignment - Establish communication channels and frequency - Educate clients about the process and expectations - Focus on desired outcomes and goals, not just tasks - Use project management tools for effective planning - Involve clients at every step for their insights - Communicate often and seek feedback early - Use prototyping tools to facilitate collaboration - Set limits on revisions and changes upfront - Clarify the effort needed for extra requests Ultimately, design is neither for the designer nor the client. It's crafted for the audience. It must resonate deeply, driving the audience's actions and fulfilling strategic marketing objectives. Designers, have you been in a tough situation recently? Would love to hear some stories. 🔁 Repost this to support designers.

He was the quiet backbone of the team. On paper? Just “meets expectations.” In reality? Irreplaceable. Recently, I watched a manager freeze when her top performer handed in his notice. It wasn’t just because he was leaving - he had plenty of options. It was because, on paper, he was rated “meets expectations.” That label hid everything that made him essential: the quiet coaching he gave new hires, the long nights keeping a failing project alive, the trust he’d built with customers no one else could calm. All “meets expectations.” And so, when he left, it caught her, and everyone flat-footed. Here’s the truth: Someone six months into a role? Meets expectations. Someone navigating a messy, high-stakes project? Meets expectations. Someone growing faster than their job description can keep up? Still…meets expectations. The way we measure performance makes a bell curve whether we intend it or not. And once people land in the middle, it’s hard to see what makes them matter. That’s why I’ve come to appreciate a question I first heard from Netflix - a question I wish every manager asked before it was too late: “If this person gave notice tomorrow, how hard would you fight to keep them?” It’s the kind of question that slices through the polite language of performance management. It forces you to name who you rely on, who you trust, who you believe in. It exposes the gap between what’s written in a calibration spreadsheet and what you feel in your gut. It sparks the conversations we should be having all along: Not, “did they tick all the boxes?” But, “do we really know what they’re worth, and are we treating them accordingly?” When you ask this question, you start seeing your team differently. Even more importantly, they might finally feel seen. So before your next performance review cycle, I challenge you: Don’t wait until someone’s walking out the door to figure out how much you value them. Have the conversation now. Do the stay interview now. Give the feedback now. Because people don’t leave companies where they feel recognized, invested in, and believed. They leave when they feel invisible behind a label like “meets expectations.” And frankly, we need to start asking ourselves... is the once-a-year performance review even useful anymore? (But ah, that’s a conversation for another post!) For now, at least consider these three take-aways: Stop treating “meets expectations” as the ultimate truth. It’s just a snapshot, not the full story. Stay interviews are more powerful than exit interviews. Don’t wait until goodbye to find out what matters. Performance management should be a mirror AND a flashlight. A mirror to reflect reality - and a flashlight to show the path ahead. Ask the question. Make it part of how you lead. And build the kind of company where your best people don’t just stay. They grow, they inspire, and they never wonder if they’re seen.

Empathy isn’t soft it’s a superpower. Used wrong, it burns leaders out. Here’s how to make it sustainable. Empathic orgs see more creativity, helping, resilience and less burnout and attrition. Employees (esp. Millennials/Gen Z) now expect it. Wearing the “empathy helmet” means you feel everyone’s highs and lows. Middle managers fry first. Caring ≠ self-sacrifice. The fix = Sustainable empathy Care without collapsing by stacking: self-compassion → tuned caring → practice. So drop the martyr mindset. • Notice your stress (name it) • Remember it’s human & shared • Talk to yourself like you would a friend • Ask for help model it and your team will too Why does this matter? Unchecked stress dulls perspective and spikes reactivity. When leaders absorb nonstop venting, next-day negativity rises and so does mistreatment. You can’t pour from an empty cup. Move 2: Tune your caring Two empathies: • Emotional empathy = feel their pain • Empathic concern = help relieve it Keep concern high, distress low. “Caring binds; sharing blinds.” How to tune (in the moment) • 60 seconds of breathing before hard talks • Validate without absorbing: “This is hard and it makes sense.” • Boundaries + presence: “I’m here. Let’s focus on next steps.” • Offer concrete help: “Here’s what we’ll try by Friday.” • Also share joy celebrate wins to refuel the tank Move 3: Treat empathy as a skill It’s trainable. Build emotional balance: shift from absorbing pain → generating care. Try brief compassion meditation (“May you be safe, well, at ease.”) and pre-regulate before tough conversations. Mini audit after tough chats Ask yourself: • How much did I feel with vs. care for? • What do they need long-term? • What will I do to help this week? A simple script 1. Validate: “I can see why this stings.” 2. Future: “Success looks like X.” 3. Action: “Let’s do Y by [date]; I’ll support with Z.” Team rituals that sustain you • Start meetings with “What help do you need?” • Normalize asking for support • Micro-celebrate progress weekly • Protect recovery blocks on calendars Self-compassion + tuned concern + practice = sustainable empathy. What’s one habit you’ll try this week to protect your energy and support your team?

VP: "Employee A is under-performing. They won't last long." Me: "Did we clearly explain to employee A the expectations for the role?" VP: "Yes, definitely. Very clearly explained" Me: "Have you told them as clearly as you have told me?" VP: "Actually... no. Not that clearly." Me: "Great, let's have a convo. Let's CLEARLY tell them what those expectations are." — They had the conversation and within two weeks, Employee A's performance was on par with everyone else on the team. Why is that? They got the skills suddenly? They got more motivated? They just did not know what good performance looked like. Before making assumptions on why a team member is under-performing. Communicate SUPER effectively the expectations for the role. Clarity creates speed. Speed creates progress. Progress creates momentum. Momentum makes success inevitable. agree?

You might not want performance conversations to be personal, but trust me, they are very personal to your employees. Their livelihood is at stake. Their capability is in question. The consequences are incredibly high. My job is to stay calm and bring structure to it. Otherwise, it can become a tangled mess. Ideally, I’ve set clear expectations upfront. And they’ve been getting feedback from me at a regular clip. But sometimes, we must step back and ask, “Where are we?” Here's how I structure those conversations: 📌 My first question: "Do they see it?" Do they appreciate what’s needed to meet or beat expectations? Do they understand how and why they’re coming up short? If "No," you need to get them there. How? Asking them to self-assess can give me useful intel. You can also finesse this by getting others to provide feedback. Different words can often break through. If they do see it... 📌 "Do they want to fix it?" If the answer is "No," the path becomes painfully obvious. You can’t have people in the role that don’t want to meet it. And people willingly leaving their role is easiest. How? Finesse it by previewing the severance or exit package. Identify roles they might thrive in. Chances are they're frustrated, too. Or if they’re a great fit in the wrong role, you can discuss a trial elsewhere in the org. Finally, if they see it and want to fix it... 📌 “Do they know how?” If not, this is a great place to coach. Use questions to guide them in the direction you need. If they write the map, they tend to follow it. If they know how and are not improving, there are two possibilities: -> They’re not making the change. -> They’re making it, and it’s not helping. In either case, the fair choice for your team and for them is likely an exit. These conversations are always challenging. But they're nearly impossible when we don't have a plan. You can have conversations, or you can lead them. In moments of high emotion, clear is kind. If you found this post helpful: - Please repost ♻️ to help other leaders - Follow Dave Kline 🔔 for more posts like it - Subscribe to my MGMT Playbook 📕 (in bio) Join 30K leaders and get access to 75 practical playbooks + working templates for every challenging management moment.

𝗢𝗻𝗲 𝗯𝗶𝗴 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲-𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲? They don’t set expectations clearly. (And it costs them trust, time, and retention.) Here’s what happens: You sign a new client. They’re excited. You’re excited. Everything feels aligned. But weeks in—they’re frustrated. Not because you didn’t deliver. But because they thought you’d deliver something else. Faster. Bigger. More frequent. More involved. And now you’re stuck explaining. Clarifying. Defending. The truth? 𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝘀𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘂𝗽𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗻𝘁, 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗼𝘄𝗻. I learned this the hard way early in my journey. 𝗢𝗻𝗲 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱: → Daily strategy updates → Creative direction → Hands-on execution → Basically... everything but my signature Meanwhile, I thought I was hired for one defined deliverable. Neither of us was wrong—we were just never on the same page. So at my agency, we changed that. To solve this, we now create detailed 𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮 𝗗𝗼𝗰𝘂𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗱𝗲: → Exactly what’s expected (and what isn’t) → Preferred communication style → Scope, cadence, outcomes And we walk through it all during the 𝗼𝗻𝗯𝗼𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹—no assumptions. 𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗱 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴. → Projects run smoother → Clients feel heard → Boundaries are respected → And expectations are mutual—not imagined Clarity isn’t optional. It’s foundational. 𝗔𝗹𝘀𝗼, 𝗜 𝗮𝗺 𝗼𝗻 𝗮 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗱𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘆, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝟭𝟰𝟯/𝟯𝟱𝟬. 𝗣.��. 𝗜 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀, 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀, 𝗖𝗫𝗢𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘀 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄 𝗼𝗻 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗲𝗱𝗜𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁. 𝗗𝗠 𝗺𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗲𝘁’𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻.

Accountability is one of the most important—and often overlooked—skills in leadership. It’s not about micromanaging or policing your team. It’s about setting people up for success. How? 🤷♀️ Through the three C's of clear expectations, challenging conversations and consistent follow-through. While we all want to believe people will naturally follow through on what they commit to, that doesn’t always happen. And when it doesn’t, too many leaders let it slide. But brushing these moments under the carpet doesn’t help anyone, all it does is erode accountability over time. So, what DO you do?? 1️⃣ Be crystal clear about expectations. Ambiguity is the enemy of accountability. If people don’t know exactly what’s expected of them, how can they deliver? Take the time to clarify actions and responsibilities WITH them, not for them. 2️⃣ Document commitments in 1:1 check-ins. Writing the actions down is REALLY important. It ensures nothing gets lost and sets a reference point for everyone involved. 3️⃣ Explain the 'why.' People are much more likely to follow through if they understand why their actions matter. How does their work contribute to the bigger picture? What’s at stake if it’s not done effectively and efficiently? 4️⃣ Anticipate and address barriers. Ask if there are any obstacles standing in the way of getting the job done. When you help remove these barriers, you’re building trust and giving people every chance to succeed. 5️⃣ Follow up at the agreed time. Don’t leave it to chance—check in when you said you would. Ideally, your team members will update you before you even have to ask. But if they don’t, don’t skip the scheduled follow-up. 6️⃣ Acknowledge effort or address gaps. If the action was completed, recognize the effort. If it wasn’t, outline the expectations for the role and provide specific feedback on what needs to improve. Be transparent about the implications of not meeting role requirements over time, ensuring the person understands both the consequences and the support available to help them succeed. (A lot of people need help to develop the skills to have this conversation!!) 7️⃣ Plan the next steps. Whether the task was completed or not, always end by agreeing on the next steps and setting clear timelines. If you need a lean/leadership coach to work on these areas and help increase accountability right across your organization, then get in touch! It's one of my specialties... 😉 _____________________________________________________ I'm Catherine- a Lean Business and Leadership Coach. I take a practical hands-on approach to helping teams and individuals achieve better results with less stress. Follow me for insights on lean, leadership and more.

Performance conversations should ignite growth, not anxiety. “When people are financially invested, they want a return. When people are emotionally invested, they want to contribute.” – Simon Sinek This thought connects deeply when we talk about performance conversations. For years, performance reviews have been framed as verdicts that is evaluative, transactional, and often induces anxiety & stress. But in today’s hybrid and agile workplaces, where collaboration and adaptability define success; we also need to rethink about how we approach them – starting from ground level. ▪️ What if we shift from evaluation method to a developmental method? ▪️ Simply, from “How did you perform?” to “How can we help you grow?” Doesn’t it already sound effective and impressive? Well, great leaders like Peter Drucker reminded me, “The best way to predict the future is to create it.” Performance conversations, when reimagined, can become exactly that where platforms are to shape the future by investing in people’s potential. In practice, this means: ➡️ Frequent check-ins that replace the one-off annual review. ➡️ Coaching-style dialogues that highlight strengths while guiding growth. ➡️ Clarity with flexibility, recognizing the fluidity of goals in dynamic environments. ➡️ Safe spaces for feedback, where trust fuels progress. The true measure of performance is not just output, but the growth journey behind it. If we, as the leaders, can turn these conversations into catalysts for inspiration, employees won’t just perform — they will thrive. Turlough Gorman Arnabi Marjit Ashutosh Kotwal Sanjay Mishra Bahar Shaikh

Ever been thrilled to kick off a new coaching or facilitation project, only to have things unravel before your eyes? You’ve got the green light, your client’s excited, you’re excited... and then: 😬 Deliverables turn into moving targets. 🫨 Tasks start sneaking into the scope. 🙄 Communication becomes reactive. 🙄 And somehow, you're doing more than you signed up for. Sound familiar? These issues can lead to frustrated clients, strained relationships, and results that don’t reflect your expertise. Worse, you’re left questioning your own abilities. The root cause? Poorly initiated projects. The fix? A rock-solid kickoff meeting. Here’s how I run mine to set the stage for smooth sailing: 1️⃣ Set the agenda and introduce the team. Share the agenda in advance so everyone’s prepared. A quick intro sets a collaborative tone. 2️⃣ Review the project overview. Revisit the high-level goals and objectives. Frame it as a partnership—you’re in this together. 3️⃣ Explore hopes and fears. Ask what success looks like for the client, but also what could go wrong. Addressing fears early helps build trust. 4️⃣ Create a risk and opportunity register. Most people track risks, but don’t stop there. Highlight opportunities to amplify success—maybe another internal initiative aligns with your work. 5️⃣ Revisit the timeline. Pull the timeline from your proposal and check if it still works. Revise as needed and confirm key milestones. 6️⃣ Discuss team culture and expectations. How do you want to work together? Align on communication styles and ways of working to avoid surprises later. 7️⃣ Define next steps. End with clarity: What happens next, and who’s responsible for what? 💡 Pro tip: Send pre-work in advance, like a draft risk/opportunity register. The meeting should refine, not start from scratch. The result? ✅ Clarity ✅ Alignment ✅ stronger relationships. A well-run kickoff leads to happy clients, repeat business, and—you guessed it—referrals. Start strong, finish stronger. ~~ ✍️ What’s one thing you always include in your project kickoff? Let me know in the comments! 👇