Things were going smoothly. I managed to get on an earlier flight to Dallas, giving me some bonus time.
On my way to the pickup area, a kiosk caught my attention. It advertised a new ride-sharing company called Zride. Curious, I approached the attendant, who assured me their cars were immediately available, saving me from waiting for an Uber. As someone who despises waiting, it sounded perfect.
When I asked if the service was more like Uber or a traditional taxi, I got a vague, confusing response. Clearly, the attendant had no idea what she was talking about. Still, I took a chance, stepped outside, found a waiting car, and reached my hotel quickly.
That’s when unclear expectations bit me—hard.
Let’s face it: this same lack of clear expectations frequently undermines our leadership and hampers our business effectiveness.
Recently, I worked with two businesses whose leaders had to let staff members go. Both leaders confidently told me their teams fully understood the organizational changes, new structures, and their roles. They’d held meetings and believed they’d clearly communicated the expectations.
However, my “Conscious Leadership” discussions revealed a different reality entirely. Instead of clarity, I found confusion, frustration, and anxiety among the teams. Leadership teams were at odds, and staff members, largely uninformed, had shifted into survival mode, fearing further job losses. This uncertainty created significant resistance, hampering organizational progress.
While the leaders puzzled over why their companies weren’t achieving desired results, they overlooked how much the lack of clear expectations was undermining their goals.
Here’s a practical tool to help clarify your message: the 5×7 Rule. As leaders, we need to ensure our vision, goals, and individual roles are clearly communicated and understood. This requires repeating the message seven times through five different communication channels.
What does that look like in practice?
- Send an email
- Have individual conversations
- Address your team collectively
- Post signage
- Utilize your organization’s listserv
- Display critical information visibly around the workplace
- Publish updated organizational charts or role descriptions prominently
Your clarity is not automatically your team’s clarity—never assume they understand just because you do.
Back to my Zride story—I stepped out of the car in disbelief. The fare was shocking—equivalent to renting a car for three days! Lesson learned.
Expectations can never be communicated clearly or frequently enough.