• Lead by example by living our values and being known as someone who insists on excellence
• Ensure your team are involved in setting their mission, priorities and expected standards of performance
• Ensure your team work collaboratively with other teams across the organisation
• Ensure your team’s business plan(s) define the KPIs, standards and goals
• Ensure your team delivers high standards of service to internal and external customers
• Use monthly performance conversations to set standards, give feedback and recognition.
• Ensure your team understands the behaviours required by our values  and our code of conduct.
• Regularly give feedback and praise/recognition  to reinforce expectations.
• Give people training (tips for establishing a development plan) and support needed to help them succeed.
• Discuss unacceptable performance/behaviour and act promptly to get performance back on track.

• • When recruiting: discuss our culture, values, biculturalism and standards at interview to ensure a good fit
  • Onboarding: set expectations from day one through position descriptions, code of conduct, values, biculturalism, health & safety and your own description of what success and excellence looks like in their role
  • Monthly performance conversations: discuss standards, excellence, performance and development. Set SMART goals that represent excellence
  • In Formation activities: involve your team in establishing a shared understanding and ownership of its purpose and mission. Use planning, team priority/goal setting, problem solving, briefings, job description review as opportunities to set high standards
  • Annually driven by business plans: ensure budgets and business plans translate into individual performance expectations
  • Every day: by having discussions on the performance and behaviour you witness and when a task or project is set
  • When things change: i.e. new priorities, job processes, systems or events change the original plan
  • When things aren’t going well: to refocus people on objectives, plans and priorities

Expectations should come from the following areas:

• Behaviours you expect from team member(s) to reflect our values and biculturalism
• The key responsibilities of the position description and what specific outcomes you are looking for
• The teams mission, priorities, business plans and goals
• How this team member best contributes to the team and organisation outcomes
• What excellence looks like from a top performer in this role
• Areas you expect to see growth and performance development

It’s important that your team members understand the background to the expectations you are setting – How does their performance contribute to the wider purpose and objectives of the team and our organisation? Why is what they do, and how they do it, important? Having a wider sense of the value of what we do and how it connects to the bigger picture increases motivation and helps our team operate cooperatively.

The expectations you set should be in the form of written objectives, goals or targets, or similar descriptions of the results you expect. You should prepare and use SMART descriptions for your expectations as follows:

• Specific: e.g.“Handle all customer enquiries to our prescribed procedures and quality standards…”
• Measurable: e.g.”…Consents processed within 20 days….”
• Achievable: Don’t set an expectation that is not clearly understood nor achievable
• Relevant: i.e. expectations must focus on the most important contribution the person’s role makes to our organisation.
• Time-bound: The expectation must have a deadline i.e.“…within 3 weeks”.

Simply stating what you expect is not enough. Often people misunderstand what we say or become confused over priorities and measures. Give your team member time to reflect on what you have said (or provided) and then ask whether they are clear about your expectations. To avoid confusion, ask them to repeat back the expectations and standards you have communicated.

Committing in principle to expectations is important, but practical issues often get in the way of delivery. Check with your team member that they have the tools, time, knowledge, training, materials etc. to deliver what is required; and that they understand how priorities should be handled. It’s often a good idea to give your team member a short period to reflect on the expectations you have set and come back with any of these practical issues that need to be resolved to ensure success.

People do what we ‘inspect’ not what we ‘expect’ and so regular ‘on track’ reviews are essential to make sure expectations are being met. As part of the setting expectations conversation, you should agree how and when progress will be measured. Consider brief monthly ‘on track’ reviews or schedule brief verbal or email reports. Make sure though that  your team member fully understands your ‘no surprises’ policy; meaning they should talk to you as soon as it becomes apparent they may not be able to deliver the agreed expectations.