By Linda J. Lerner
Q. I am a supervisor in the customer service department at a large corporation. There are 17 employees who work for me and they handle customer-related issues over three shifts. Most of the employees in the department understand their jobs but there are a few who perform below expectations. Because we have put time into training these employees, the assistant supervisor and I do not want to let them go and start all over again. I also think these employees are trying but do not seem to understand some of our expectations or the standards that our company needs them to meet. I have been in this company for less then a year and I would appreciate any suggestions for improving the situation with these employees.
A. Most of us believe we are very clear in our communications. In reality, some people are much better at it than others and the better ones, either naturally or through training, know some key things about expectations and how they are communicated.
The key word here is expectations -- the expectations we have for others, and reciprocally, the expectations they have of us.
It's helpful first to understand that there are different types of expectations and that this is true both at work and in our personal relationships.
Explicit: These are out in the open and generally known. They are stated by being expressed verbally or written in one or in multiple forms. They may be given to employees in printed hard copy or by e-mail or posted in prominent locations. These expectations are often measurable and can be shared openly with others. Their distribution may be scheduled or repeated periodically. Expectations are most effective when stated before a relationship is agreed to, such as before a job offer is accepted.
Implicit or assumed: This is where most relationship problems occur. Whether personal or work-related, we experience disappointment and resentment frequently due to this category of expectation. Here the expectation is clearly in one person's mind but not fully expressed or not expressed at all. We will often find ourselves saying that it was 'understood' when exclaiming our frustration with an unfulfilled expectation. The implicit expectations are filled with assumptions that are unsaid. They are known in our minds, reviewed frequently in our internal dialogue but, for whatever reason, we keep them private and assume they are somehow understood by others. They are so real to us that we may exhibit shock when learning that others were not aware of them. Employees can hold these assumed expectations of us, just as we might have them for employees or for our boss.
In the workplace, I have seen differing expectations at various levels cause misunderstandings and even damage careers. We therefore need to challenge ourselves to articulate those expectations we have of employees that may be assumed. In addition, ask employees about their expectations.
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