Here's how you can handle your boss's expectations and fulfill their requests.

It's always helpful to attend team meetings and request guidance for yourself and your team. So as a collective effort to ensure the expectations are clear. It also your bosses responsibility to make these expectations realistic and sustainable to all. They also need to make your expectations as a leader a priority. Don't be afraid to voice your opinion and always seek help if needed.

Always be willing to understand another’s viewpoint, to be able to step back and see the situation from someone else’s vantage point. That person may have additional insight that you were not aware of that factored into the expectations they had verbalized. By being fixed in one way of thinking, it limits the possibilities of successful interactions or outcomes that can negatively impact the goal of achieving and succeeding expectations.

Effective communication is the cornerstone of managing expectations. Asking questions is a valuable starting point, but true understanding requires ongoing dialogue and a mutual comprehension of each other's communication styles and thought processes. This is not a one-time task but a continuous effort to ensure clarity and alignment. While questions are useful, they are only part of the equation. It's equally important to express your understanding of the expectations back to the other person. This feedback loop helps identify any misunderstandings early on, allowing for adjustments and preventing potential issues down the line.

I once was told I was hired because during the interview, when asked how I would succeed in the role (there had been high turnover) I replied, “I would find out what you really don’t like, and I won’t do it.” It was a very successful partnership with an SVP.

It’s helpful to explain upfront what your “off hour” procedures are. With everyone having a phone and constant access, some managers can expect more than is reasonable and blur boundary lines. Being clear upfront will prevent disappointments.

The tyranny of the urgent is a constant threat to productivity. A good practice is to map out what you intend to accomplish and regularly note what you actually achieve. Comparing these helps identify areas for improvement and provides a clear record of your efforts for your supervisors. Embrace a growth mindset, which sees mistakes as opportunities to learn and grow.

A business mentor used to say, “Don’t let great be the enemy of good.” We all want to produce our very best work product, but there are many situations where the basic parameters and the deadline are the metrics to meet. If appropriate, I would suggest providing your supervisor with a short summary of additional information and ask if a supporting document or report should be prepared.

Communication is one of the hardest skills to be consistent with and yet so vitally important that we are all striving to improve every day. We need to be able to effectively communicate in business and personal life, but sometimes that communication takes different forms depending on the subject, persons and a situations involved. We also need to over communicate, to have people feel secure of the information being received, but also be cognizant that communication can take many forms, depending upon the person receiving it. We need to be open to altering our style of communication so we can be effective for the task at hand.

This comes full circle, as it ties back to the importance of leaving the door open for further discussion. Start by inviting your supervisor to help overcome roadblocks and check your pride at the door. While it’s crucial to propose solutions to the obstacles you face, also be transparent about your progress. By acknowledging where you’re at and seeking guidance when needed, you demonstrate both initiative and humility. This balanced approach ensures that you’re not just providing solutions but also fostering an environment where collective problem-solving and continuous improvement are prioritized.

Too often employees or people in general lay “blame” for something not succeeding at others feet and not looking inwardly at their own contribution to success or lack thereof. We must be willing to reflect on ourselves and where/how the mistakes were made instead of others. I learned a valuable phrase one time: “When you point the finger at someone, there are three pointing back at yourself.” How true that is!