Page 3 - The Leadership Line: February 2022

Expectations Setting to a Candidate Performance Management

Most likely during the recent performance review process, you created SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic,
and Time-bound) goals for your team members. Starting now through the rest of the year, your focus should be helping
Prepare a clearly defined job description. employees reach those goals. Getting started is often the most difficult part for an employee especially when the assigned
As a hiring manager and interviewer, you have a responsibility to prepare a clearly goal pushes them out of their comfort zone. They will need your support and mentoring to be successful.
defined job description. Know exactly what the employee will be doing every day, so One technique you can use to is called “backward planning.” Backward planning, or reverse planning, is a goal-oriented
you can choose a candidate whose attributes closely align with the role he or she will planning technique. With backward planning, you start with the goal and then work backward to develop a plan on how to
be filling. achieve that goal.

Be prepared to discuss the work itself. The backward planning technique.
Only 47% What levels of work quality are required? What defines successful completion of work? The first step is to write down your end goal. What do you want to achieve
What are the boundaries on responsibilities? What are the job roles? This includes but goes
of workers beyond the job description. For optimum performance and strong working relationships, and by what date?
these must all be clearly understood and mutually agreed to before the offer.
Example: “Achieve PMP Certification by September 30, 2022”
believe that job Present team culture transparently.
descriptions Use words that accurately portray your team: collaborative, results-driven, inclusive are Then ask, what milestone needs to be accomplished right before you reach
the goal and by what date?
reflect actual job some commonly used words. People don’t work in a vacuum – the workplace itself is an Example: “Achieve 90% on MILTON practice test by September 10, 2022”
important work component. When people are hired either fresh from school or from
responsibilities. another organization, they bring their past experience and habits with them. If those
experiences and habits differ from “the way things are done around here,” there will be Then work backward a little more and determine what needs to happen right
(Source: Jobvite) mismatched expectations. These mismatches can lead to a perception that people aren’t before that second-to-last milestone.
a good fit, can be the initial source of poor performance (perceived or real), and serve as Example: “Achieve 80% on practice test in study guide by August 31, 2022”
the root of interpersonal conflicts. Make sure that the organizational norms and overall
expectations are explained.
Continue this process until you get to the first milestone that needs to be
accomplished.

Milestones or steps could include identifying resources, setting a budget, an getting feedback or buy-in. Make sure
a due date is assigned to each step. Time to complete each milestone should also be factored into the plan. This will
ensure the start date is identified or the latest date work can start to meet the goal deadline.
As Stephen Covey would say, “Begin with the end in mind.”
(The 7 Seven Habits of Highly Effective People)

Expectations During Onboarding Don’t Forget the Why Expectations from You

Welcoming a new employee is an important task for any hiring manager. You’re responsible At any stage, let future and current team members know Have you told your team what they can expect from you?
for introducing the new hire to their position’s responsibilities along with policies, why your expectations are important. It’s important to let employees know that as their manager
processes, your unit’s unique environment, and MIL culture. Successful onboarding ensures you are available to them. It’s important they know how and
new employees feels welcomed, increases the speed at which employees learn their new job, » When employees understand why expectations are when to reach out to you, and that you are accessible to them
and builds on MIL’s reputation as a great place to work. important, it can help them see the bigger picture and feel as a knowledgeable resource. For new hires, the role would be
like their role in the company matters. more as a teacher than as a boss. For experienced hires, you
As the hiring manager, it is your responsibility to help your direct reports set and will have to be a coach and help them unlearn and relearn the
achieve their goals both behavioral and performance related. You should set the new » Don’t just tell team members what your expectations are – behavioral and cultural aspects of their job. For the team, you
hire expectations for their first 90 days and meet with him/her to go over expectations, communicate why they are important. will be the supplier of resources as well as their champion.
tasks, and training. Client, customer, and vendor relationships, employee knowledge
of products or services, and company policies and performance are all discussions you » Help staff members see how the company as a whole can
should prioritize. Although no one likes a micromanager, most professionals appreciate benefit when they meet or exceed your expectations.
knowing they are on the right track. Setting expectations and communicating employee
responsibilities to each new hire can have a long-lasting effect on your business and their
performance.