People & Leadership
Most 'poor performance' starts as an expectation nobody stated
Owners often say employees 'should know' without being told: to warn of a delay, to clean up after themselves, to follow up with a customer. The employee says nobody told them. Both are usually telling the truth. This session helps owners set expectations clearly and in writing: the responsibilities, the results, the way of working and the standard of behaviour, and then have a conversation that makes sure they were understood.
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You cannot hold people to a standard they have never been shown.
In a small business, expectations usually live in the owner's head. They come out as irritation when something is not done the way the owner would do it. The employee feels judged by a rule they did not know existed, and the owner feels let down by somebody who 'should have known'.
Setting expectations is not about being strict. It is about fairness: telling a person, early and in plain words, what the job is, what a good result looks like and how the business works. It makes later conversations about performance simpler and kinder, because the standard was agreed first.
What the session covers
36 topics across 7 areas. Seven parts, from the written role to the first conversation. 6 apply to almost any business; the rest only in a particular case.
Expectation Versus WishIf it matters, say it. If you only hope for it, do not call it a rule.5
- An expectation is stated, agreed and can be checked
- A wish is a hope that the person will notice and do it
- Writing down the three things that would most annoy you if missed
- Testing each by asking: did I ever actually say this?
- Deciding which wishes are worth turning into expectations
The Written RoleOne page the person can keep.5
The Government of India has said that the new labour codes, in force since 21 November 2025, require appointment letters for all workers. A role description is not the same as an appointment letter, and neither replaces the other. Check what your letters must contain with an accountant, HR professional or lawyer.
- Job title, reporting line and main purpose of the role
- Core responsibilities, in a few lines each
- What the person decides alone and what they check first
- Who they work with, inside and outside the business
- What the role is not responsible for
Outcomes, Not Only ActivitiesSay what result you want, not just what to be busy with.5
- Three to five outcomes for the first quarter
- A number or a plain check for each, where possible
- Quality as well as quantity: what 'done properly' means
- Targets within the person's control
- What a good month and a poor month look like
Working NormsThe unwritten rules, made visible.6
- Working hours, breaks and how to ask for leave
- How to tell you about a delay or a problem, and how soon
- Which channel to use for urgent and non-urgent matters
- How customers and colleagues are spoken to
- How money, stock, passwords and customer information are handled
- What you do and do not do on social media about the business
The Expectations ConversationSay it aloud, and check it was heard.5
- Hold it in the first week, and again at the end of the first month
- Walk through the one-page role and the norms
- Ask them to say what they understood, in their own words
- Ask what is unclear, and what support they will need
- Write down any change and give them a copy
Keeping Expectations CurrentRoles change faster than documents.5
- A short review every quarter
- Updating the role when the work has moved on
- Telling people when the standard is raised, and why
- Checking that the team members' expectations of each other are not clashing
- Letting people suggest changes to the norms
When an Expectation Is Not Being MetIf it appliesFirst check whether it was ever clear.5
If a problem continues and may lead to formal action or the end of employment, take advice from an HR professional or lawyer before you act. The rules depend on the contract, the size of the business and the state.
- Was it said, and was it understood?
- Does the person have the tools, time and training to meet it?
- A private conversation, with specifics, before it is a warning
- Agreeing what changes and when you will look again
- Writing it down, in neutral words
Questions for the first-week conversation
- What do you understand your main responsibilities to be?
- What would a very good first month look like?
- What would help you get there faster?
- What is still unclear about how we work?
- How would you like to hear feedback from me?
Common ways owners get this wrong
- Listing activities and no outcomes
- Setting targets the person cannot influence
- Assuming 'common sense' is the same for everybody
- Changing the standard without saying so
- Setting expectations once and never again
How the session runs
An HR practitioner or an experienced employer introduces the ideas with made-up roles, such as a shop assistant, an accounts executive or a delivery coordinator. Participants write a one-page role and a short list of working norms for a person in their own business, then practise the expectations conversation in pairs. The session is practical guidance on setting expectations, not legal advice about contracts or employment terms.
What your students leave with
- A one-page role description covering responsibilities, outcomes and limits of authority
- Three to five measurable outcomes for the first quarter
- A short list of working norms: hours, communication, reporting and conduct
- A script for the expectations conversation on a person's first or second week
- A routine for revisiting expectations as the role changes
- A clear difference, in their own mind, between an expectation and a wish
Scheduled sessions
Nothing scheduled yet
Sessions are arranged with a college once a date is agreed. Ask us and we will find the right person for it.
A student rather than a college? See what is coming up, or ask your placement team to host this.
People can only meet a standard they have been shown.
Tell us who your students are and what stage they are at. Sessions are free for participants.