Communicating Performance Expectations

Stuck in an endless loop of client changes? Lost track of what revision this constitutes? Yeah. Been there. Done that. The secret? It's not about saying no. It's about saying yes to the right things upfront. Every project that goes sideways starts the same way: Vague agreements. Fuzzy boundaries. Good intentions. Six weeks later you're bleeding money and everyone's frustrated. Here's my framework after 30 years of running two 8-figure businesses: The SOW is your salvation. Not some boilerplate template. A real document that covers: • Exact deliverables (not "design work" but "3 homepage concepts, 2 rounds of revisions") • Hours of operation ("We respond M-F, 9-5 PST. Weekend requests get Monday responses") • Revision rounds spelled out ("Round 1 includes up to 5 changes. Round 2 includes 3.") • Feedback cycles defined ("48-hour turnaround for client feedback or the project may be delayed or additional fees may be incurred") But here's what most people miss— Don't work on client notes immediately. Client sends 37 pieces of feedback at 11pm Friday? Producer sends conflicting notes from the CEO? Marketing wants one thing, sales wants another? Stop. Collect everything first. Resolve the conflicts. Get on the phone and discuss it with your client to get alignment. Separate the "have to haves" from the "nice to haves". Then present unified changes. "Based on all feedback received, here are the 8 changes we'll implement. This constitutes revision round 2 of 3." Watch how fast the random requests stop. No extra work that goes unappreciated. No more feelings of being taken advantage of. Communicate before the crisis, prevents the crisis from happening. "Just so you know, we're entering round 2. You have one more included. After that, it's $X per additional round." No surprises. No awkward money conversations. No resentment. Scope creep isn't a them problem. It's a you problem. And that's good news, because that means you are in control. They're not trying to take advantage. They just don't know where the boundaries are because you never drew them. Draw the lines early. Communicate them clearly. Everyone wins. What's your most painful scope creep story? What boundary would've prevented it? Small Business Builders #projectmanagement #clientmanagement #businessgrowth

VP: "Employee A is under-performing. They won't last long." Me: "Did we clearly explain to employee A the expectations for the role?" VP: "Yes, definitely. Very clearly explained" Me: "Have you told them as clearly as you have told me?" VP: "Actually... no. Not that clearly." Me: "Great, let's have a convo. Let's CLEARLY tell them what those expectations are." — They had the conversation and within two weeks, Employee A's performance was on par with everyone else on the team. Why is that? They got the skills suddenly? They got more motivated? They just did not know what good performance looked like. Before making assumptions on why a team member is under-performing. Communicate SUPER effectively the expectations for the role. Clarity creates speed. Speed creates progress. Progress creates momentum. Momentum makes success inevitable. agree?

Here’s an easy way to keep your team honest about delivery: Release notes Hear me out… It’s incredible how many teams are “cranking out tickets” and “hitting sprint objectives,” yet when you turn around after a week or two and ask, “OK, what did we actually deliver that touched a single customer?” the list is uncomfortably small. But when you force yourself to actually communicate this to customers, you’re forced to face that reality firsthand. 1. What is possible now that was not possible before? -Start with a concrete change in capability. -Describe the new behavior, outcome, or option available to the customer. -Avoid vague phrasing like “improvements” or “enhancements.” 2. What’s better about it? What is the benefit? -Explain why this matters in practice. -Focus on customer impact: time saved, clarity gained, risk reduced, flexibility increased. -One or two benefits is enough. Don’t list everything. 3. What are the limitations or known issues? -Be explicit and transparent. -Call out constraints, edge cases, or things that are intentionally not supported yet. 4. How do customers try it? Answer all applicable questions clearly: -Where in the product do they go? -Is it on by default or opt-in? -Do they need specific permissions, roles, or plans? -Is any setup, configuration, or migration required? -If it’s not immediately discoverable, say so. 5. What feedback are we looking for? Be specific about what we want to learn. Examples: -“Does this cover your main use case?” -“Where does this break down?” -“What workflows does this not yet support?” If no feedback is needed, say that explicitly. 6. What state is it in? Clearly label the maturity of the feature, using consistent language. Pick your poison. This sets expectations about stability, support, and future change. 7. Where can they find help? Include links or references to: -Documentation -Help center articles -Support channels -Onboarding guides

If I could go back and change one thing from my early days in business, it would be this: I would stop over-promising📍 Over-promising, on the surface, feels like you’re being proactive, helpful, committed, ‘client-first’ Until you realise what’s happening BTS: ☇You start stretching timelines ☇You dilute the quality of your work ☇You overwork to compensate for what you promised And worst of all, ⇢You slowly lose control of expectations. And once expectations go off track, no amount of effort feels enough. I’ve been there (and it sucks) Saying yes to extra deliverables just to ‘keep the client happy’ Adding more than what was agreed because it felt like the right thing to do. Thinking it would build trust. It doesn’t. Instead, it builds dependency and quiet resentment. Because now: ☇You’re exhausted ☇They expect more And the original scope doesn’t even matter anymore. What I’ve learned since then is simple But not easy: ☇Under-promise ☇Over-deliver ⇢But do it strategically ☇Set clear boundaries ☇Define deliverables properly ⇢And leave room to surprise, not to survive Clients don’t stay because you gave them more. They stay because you gave them what you promised consistently, reliably, and well📍

Ever been thrilled to kick off a new coaching or facilitation project, only to have things unravel before your eyes? You’ve got the green light, your client’s excited, you’re excited... and then: 😬 Deliverables turn into moving targets. 🫨 Tasks start sneaking into the scope. 🙄 Communication becomes reactive. 🙄 And somehow, you're doing more than you signed up for. Sound familiar? These issues can lead to frustrated clients, strained relationships, and results that don’t reflect your expertise. Worse, you’re left questioning your own abilities. The root cause? Poorly initiated projects. The fix? A rock-solid kickoff meeting. Here’s how I run mine to set the stage for smooth sailing: 1️⃣ Set the agenda and introduce the team. Share the agenda in advance so everyone’s prepared. A quick intro sets a collaborative tone. 2️⃣ Review the project overview. Revisit the high-level goals and objectives. Frame it as a partnership—you’re in this together. 3️⃣ Explore hopes and fears. Ask what success looks like for the client, but also what could go wrong. Addressing fears early helps build trust. 4️⃣ Create a risk and opportunity register. Most people track risks, but don’t stop there. Highlight opportunities to amplify success—maybe another internal initiative aligns with your work. 5️⃣ Revisit the timeline. Pull the timeline from your proposal and check if it still works. Revise as needed and confirm key milestones. 6️⃣ Discuss team culture and expectations. How do you want to work together? Align on communication styles and ways of working to avoid surprises later. 7️⃣ Define next steps. End with clarity: What happens next, and who’s responsible for what? 💡 Pro tip: Send pre-work in advance, like a draft risk/opportunity register. The meeting should refine, not start from scratch. The result? ✅ Clarity ✅ Alignment ✅ stronger relationships. A well-run kickoff leads to happy clients, repeat business, and—you guessed it—referrals. Start strong, finish stronger. ~~ ✍️ What’s one thing you always include in your project kickoff? Let me know in the comments! 👇

Cross-functional misalignment is the silent killer of great product strategies. But… how can you fix it? A couple of weeks ago, I asked about the biggest challenge in executing your product strategy, and many of you pointed to cross-functional misalignment. It's a concern that resonates deeply, and it's something we've been addressing with leaders in the CPO Accelerator. Why is this such a common hurdle? Misalignment often stems from the absence of a clear, shared vision. When teams like marketing, sales, and engineering are not aligned with the product vision, efforts become fragmented. This lack of unity can cause delays, wasted resources, and ultimately, products that miss the mark. To effectively tackle this, communication is key. Leaders must articulate the product strategy across all levels, ensuring every team understands how their work contributes to the bigger picture. This isn't a one-time effort but a continuous dialogue. Regular updates, town halls, and aligned roadmaps can keep everyone on the same track. Repetition is key here 🔑 Empowering product leaders with tools and processes to foster alignment is essential. This is where Product Operations can bring immense value, acting as a bridge between teams. By optimizing workflows and facilitating collaboration, Product Ops ensures that everyone moves toward the same goals without stumbling over each other. Remember, alignment doesn't mean micromanaging. It's about providing clarity, setting boundaries, and then trusting your teams to deliver results. Encourage a culture of experimentation and accountability. Allow teams to make decisions aligned with strategic outcomes, not just ticking off feature lists. By focusing on aligning teams with a shared vision and clear objectives, you can transform cross-functional misalignment from a barrier into an opportunity for collaboration and innovation. Let's make strides toward cohesive strategies that drive meaningful outcomes. How are you ensuring alignment in your organization? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Last week I led a session on #PerformanceManagement for senior leaders. One of them reached out with the following important question about #PsychologicalSafety in the context of managing underperformance: "Psychological safety is an extremely difficult concept to pin down, especially in a setting where we have to strike a balance between supporting human beings under pressure, while at the same time being accountable for results. I would like to have more guidance on is how one manages the psychological safety element in a situation of underperformance - which often requires (at least partially) withdrawing that safety, to the discomfort of the staff member." Here is my advice to those of you wondering the same thing: In the context of managing underperformance, having psychological safety means feeling that you won't be punished or humiliated for making mistakes or for underperforming. That being said, having a conversation with a supervisor about your performance when you’re not meeting expectations is inherently stressful. It is psychologically difficult for people to focus on where they are coming up short; this undermines their sense of self as a competent person, particularly when they feel that they have been working diligently or when they have been negatively affected by situations beyond their control. While it may not be possible to make a staff member completely comfortable during feedback conversations about underperformance — and indeed, a total lack of discomfort with the status quo may not be optimal for motivating improvement — these conversations are much more likely to achieve their aim of helping the staff member perform at a higher level when the supervisor does the following:   ⋙ Provide Actionable Feedback ⋘ 👉 Give specific, timely, and constructive feedback on performance gaps, not just vague criticisms. 👉 Clearly outline expectations, metrics, and deadlines for improvement. Maintain an empathetic, development-focused tone even as you increase accountability. ⋙ Focus on Development, Not Just Evaluation ⋘ 👉 When addressing underperformance, emphasize how you can support the employee's growth and improvement. Make it clear the goal is to help the employee succeed. 👉 Collaboratively identify obstacles (e.g., by asking questions like, “What is most difficult about this for you?” and “What’s getting in the way?”) and craft a plan to overcome them through coaching, training, or other resources. 👉 Engage the staff member in articulating what help they feel they need and what path forward feels most motivating and productive. This helps to build employee ownership over their plan for improvement rather than thrusting it upon them.

After working with IT firms for years, one pattern repeats: Goodwill works - until scope changes. And don’t get me wrong. Trust is important in the IT space. Many IT businesses are built on: • Relationships • Referrals • Repeat clients The problem is not goodwill. It’s what happens when pressure enters the picture. I’ve seen handshake deals go smoothly - until clients pivot: • “Can we add this feature?” • “What about mobile?” • “Let’s integrate AI while we’re at it.” None of this was discussed upfront.  No scope. No pricing adjustment. No timeline reset. What started as a great relationship turns into: • Finger-pointing • Missed deadlines • Legal disputes Without written agreements, the scope is the first to break. “Build a website” means very different things to different people. • Clients assume ongoing tweaks • Founders assume a fixed deliverable Without clarity, minor misunderstandings snowball into fights over: • Timelines • Payments • Revisions • Sometimes even IP ownership The difference once things are written down is massive. • Verbal understandings rely on memory, and memory is selective • Written terms act as an anchor Once expectations are documented: • Clients treat the project like a shared roadmap • Communication improves • Accountability increases • Disputes drop sharply In goodwill-only arrangements, timelines usually break first. Trust and payments might hold initially because of enthusiasm. But once deadlines slip due to unclear milestones or scope creep: • Frustration builds • Trust erodes • Money issues follow Many IT owners worry that contracts signal distrust. But contracts are guardrails. They let everyone move faster, prevent crashes, and remove surprises. And that's the real trust killer. Another pattern I see often: Founders avoid contracts to dodge uncomfortable conversations. They don’t want to discuss: • Limits • Pricing boundaries • Ownership • Exits So they skip it. Later, those same conversations show up anyway - just worse: • Scope wars • Unpaid invoices • IP disputes • Legal notices Avoiding discomfort early almost always guarantees a much more painful version later. So, the solution? Write things down: • Scope of work and deliverables • Milestones and timelines • Payment terms and schedule • Revision limits • IP ownership • Termination rights • A simple dispute resolution mechanism This alone prevents most conflicts. And for long-term retainers, contracts are even more crucial. Without clear boundaries, clients demand more, and founders burn out. Trust doesn’t disappear when you use contracts. It gets preserved. So when an IT company owner says, “We don’t need contracts, we trust our clients,” This is what I tell them: Trust your clients enough to protect your business in writing. Good intentions fade. Clear contracts don’t. --- ✍ Where has relying on goodwill cost you more than you expected? Share below! 

Job descriptions are the dating profiles of the professional world. They put the role's best foot forward to attract top talent. But once you're in the role (or relationship!)...things may look a bit different. As a manager, don't assume a job description alone will define an employee's responsibilities and success. To set your employee up for long-term success, you need to have open and honest conversations that align expectations, provide clarity, and set your new hire up for success from day one. Discuss role responsibilities, success metrics, growth goals and working styles in depth. This extra level of communication prevents surprises or mismatched expectations down the road. After all, you want to build a productive and lasting professional relationship! Have you had experiences where additional role conversations proved valuable? Share your insights in the comments! #ManagerTips #NewHireOnboarding #ClearExpectations

Have unapologetically high expectations.   AND…  Have a system to help people to meet them. When I’m hiring and onboarding new people, I want them to know [in no uncertain terms] that we have high standards. We’re unapologetic about them. We communicate early that we’re anti-mediocrity and we don’t tolerate the bare minimum. But [and this is SO important] we also let them know we go out of our way to coach and develop people to exceed expectations. It’s equal parts challenge and support. It's how people do their best work. So, if you’ve got high expectations, be unapologetic about them. Own it. There’s power in having high expectations of people. It helps people see how they can grow. And at the same time, you need a system that helps people reach them. __________________________ Here’s how we do it: 1. Spell out the expectations and standards clearly and early. Make the outcomes explicit. 2. Prioritise fortnightly 1:1s. They don’t need to be long, but they do need to be consistent. 3. Build your coaching skills. As a manager, give less advice and ask more questions. You’ll help people to uncover their biggest learnings. 4. Celebrate people’s strengths and give them more opportunities to use them. 5. Identify the skill gaps together, and design an action plan to close them. Focus on one skill at a time, they'll make faster progress. 6. Make self-reflection and personal accountability a cultural norm. 7. Give fast feedback. Don’t wait to share constructive feedback; get into the habit of communicating it as soon as you can. #leadership #peopleandculture #HR