{"id":9070,"date":"2025-07-13T07:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-07-13T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ellevatedoutcomes.com\/?p=9070"},"modified":"2026-06-15T19:49:44","modified_gmt":"2026-06-15T19:49:44","slug":"setting-and-upholding-job-expectations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/zudigitest.com\/ellevatedoutcomes\/setting-and-upholding-job-expectations\/","title":{"rendered":"Setting &amp; Upholding Job Expectations Is the Heartbeat of Your Small Business"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While <a href=\"https:\/\/zudigitest.com\/ellevatedoutcomes\/my-out-of-office-template\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">I was away<\/a>, I read <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Reboot-Leadership-Art-Growing-Up\/dp\/0062749536\/ref=sr_1_4?crid=1ZCC23QELXDU3&amp;dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.RPujCDxTDoRjDZmP44_oi3toLCgd7OV4JcTtAgQbp2I1MAvDIYQddum-ovfocxbutwUWQw2y5hQClYJTq1-vCkLY4a8vrMFXh03WPOjYQuadEEf-LfeDkUfUkqyHshyiimwHmqR_VeeWmc7KuvO6tGwHmD6edWpE4JeQJ8a6oroDGBZ1nCaDnnHCebucEK5XXtHU_pVtPMjrCN1OguentgidHcyn-1z1d1_lE6mgExE.eGUddknvk2dY_TwhrPiNQCgL5jt6oqMda24F1KPxK1Y&amp;dib_tag=se&amp;keywords=reboot&amp;qid=1752079954&amp;sprefix=reboot%2Caps%2C171&amp;sr=8-4\">Reboot: Leadership and the Art of Growing Up<\/a><\/em>, a book recommended by our beloved Michelle Nicholson of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.farmuse.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">FARMUSE<\/a>. This is not your typical how-to leadership book. It\u2019s more on the therapy end of the spectrum than the business end. Each chapter includes personal stories by the author, anecdotes from his client\u2019s lives, and journal prompts for the reader. So with that in mind, I want to kick off today\u2019s post on job expectations with an exposing share: my journal response to a question posed in chapter 5. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">CEO coach and author Jerry Colona asks the reader to answer: <em>Why do I struggle with the folks in my life?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here was my response: <em>They don\u2019t know what I want, and I have to ask for it. And I\u2019m uncomfortable asking for it. I believe that they\u2019ll tell me that my standards are too high. Impossible even. They\u2019ll talk about me behind my back.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Welcome to one of the most critical (and emotionally layered) realities of leadership: setting and upholding job expectations and standards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you\u2019re a small, creative business with employees, and you don\u2019t set (and uphold) job expectations with exquisite clarity, your growth will plateau. And while your growth plateaus, your culture will plummet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And setting expectations isn\u2019t one-and-done. It\u2019s an ongoing leadership <em>and management<\/em> practice that requires lots of feedback, alongside clarity and courage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why Job Expectations Are So Important &#8211; and So Difficult<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Most small business CEOs struggle with expectations, not because they don\u2019t have them (we definitely do, ha), but because our expectations are&#8230;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>In our heads instead of written down or verbalized clearly,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Enforced inconsistently, or<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Unknown, even to us.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">TV writer and producer Chuck Lorre has said:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I don&#8217;t know what my expectations are until they&#8217;re not met.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We\u2019ve talked before about <a href=\"https:\/\/zudigitest.com\/ellevatedoutcomes\/emotional-leadership-mistakes-as-a-small-business-ceo\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">the emotional leadership mistakes<\/a> that cause small business owners to hesitate: fear of confrontation, desire to be liked, discomfort with authority, or assuming \u201cthey should just know.\u201d These are natural, human tendencies. But they create real business risks. Not to mention: lots of emotional weight for everyone involved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So how do you set <em>and uphold<\/em> clear, effective job expectations without becoming a micromanager?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Let\u2019s walk through the two-part process&#8230;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-dots\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">PART 1: Create Clear, Actionable Job Expectations<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Putting on my Strategist hat, I\u2019ve observed that when new clients with employees <a href=\"https:\/\/portal.dubsado.com\/public\/form\/view\/6446c25822cb50a6919e669f\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">join our Advisory Practice<\/a>, they all need to build their standards and expectations. I can\u2019t think of one client over the past 7+ years, who came to us with these fully locked and loaded. Our approach is to tackle this in a 360<sup>o <\/sup>way, across 3 platforms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. Position Agreements<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A <a href=\"https:\/\/zudigitest.com\/ellevatedoutcomes\/position-agreement-performance-objectives-for-employees\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Position Agreement<\/a> clearly lays out the employee&#8217;s:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Result<\/strong> they\u2019re accountable for,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Strategic<\/strong> and <strong>tactical<\/strong> work they own, and<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Standards<\/strong> they\u2019re expected to uphold for <em>how<\/em> the work gets done.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It\u2019s the \u201chere\u2019s what success looks like\u201d guide for every role on your team. You may remember my new favorite performance guideline: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DGSpUPzy3yg\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">OOBA<\/a> (thank you, Heather Mathias!). At a minimum, your PA articulates the two Os: the outcomes and output someone is accountable for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. Team-Wide Standards<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Not everything belongs in a Position Agreement. Some expectations, such as how people show up, communicate, or handle conflict, should be set at the team culture level. This is where you define your company\u2019s expectations for behavior and attitudes (the B &amp; A in OOBA).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For example, you may focus on defining things like what it means to be professional, a team player, or prepared in your organization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Examples:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>\u201cNo personal phones on the sales floor.\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u201cWe do not say \u2018that\u2019s not my job.\u2019\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u201cIf the workday starts at 9, you\u2019re ready to <em>begin work<\/em> at 9.\u201d (Not walking in the door).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When you make the cultural standards clear and non-negotiable, your team can align around shared expectations, and you\u2019re no longer the only one enforcing them. Which leads us to where the rubber meets the road\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. Leadership Modeling<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You set the tone. If you\u2019re late, sloppy in communication, or avoid hard conversations, your team will follow your lead. Emotional intelligence, presence, and clarity start with you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">BUT\/AND you&#8217;re not the only person to role model. This is about how <em>every person<\/em> shows up as a leader in your organization. Remember: leadership and management aren\u2019t the same. You don\u2019t have to be a manager on the <a href=\"https:\/\/zudigitest.com\/ellevatedoutcomes\/my-favorite-canva-org-chart\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">org chart<\/a> to be a leader. Each person on your team is constantly looking to their right and left, to see what acceptable behavior is. This forms your company norm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is why it\u2019s so imperative to hold everyone accountable for job expectations and standards, as a leader. Because they are. In my own career, one of my biggest management mistakes was not correcting behaviors that were at odds with our cultural standards. Over time, poor attitudes and incongruent behavior will have the effect of carbon monoxide: they slowly, silently inject (deadly) cultural poison into the company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-dots\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">PART 2: Hold People Accountable<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here\u2019s where most managers falter. Holding people accountable to standards is where the operational <em>and<\/em> emotional labor kicks in. Without implementing Part I and Part II, this work falls flat. One without the other doesn&#8217;t work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Once we\u2019ve done Part I with a client, there always comes a point (often a year+ down the road) when they realize they haven\u2019t been maintaining accountability work. Over time, when the standards errode and work isn&#8217;t getting done properly, it&#8217;s tempting to say: \u201cWe need to add new roles.&#8221; But most often when we run into this, we see that expectations actually are clear in the PAs. The standard has been set. But we\u2019ve been inconsistent in holding people accountable to our standards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you have a team,&nbsp; you\u2019ve probably fallen into this trap (I have):<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>\u201cI don\u2019t want to come off as too demanding.\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u201cIt\u2019s faster if I just do it myself.\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u201cWhat if they quit?\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u201cI gave feedback, but nothing changed.\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u201cThey should know. I shouldn\u2019t have to tell them this; it\u2019s so basic.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Accountability doesn\u2019t require aggression. But it does require thoughtfulness, preparation, and structure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. Use Monthly 1-1s as the Performance Backbone<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Monthly 1-1s are a recurring opportunity to reinforce expectations, give real feedback, and recalibrate performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/zudigitest.com\/ellevatedoutcomes\/measuring-monthly-performance-manager-and-employee-review-template\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">our 1-1 template<\/a>. You\u2019ll notice it includes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Wins and misses,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Questions about current and upcoming work,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What support is needed from you, their manager,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A numerical ranking of their performance (based on OOBA), and<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What the employee needs to do to meet or exceed expectations.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. Get Comfortable Giving (and Receiving) Feedback<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Feedback shouldn\u2019t only happen when things go off the rails. It should be regular, balanced, and specific.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you\u2019ve ever struggled to give feedback without defensiveness &#8211; or had an employee spiral after a correction &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/zudigitest.com\/ellevatedoutcomes\/how-to-receive-feedback\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">this guide<\/a> will help you and your team create a feedback culture built on growth, not shame.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. Close the Loop<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If someone continues to underperform or ignore expectations despite clear conversations and support, you must take action &#8211; fast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That might look like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Creating a short-term improvement plan,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Taking away privileges or bonuses tied to performance, or<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Eventually parting ways, if they just can&#8217;t get there.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is the <em>hardest<\/em> part of leadership &#8211; but it&#8217;s the hardest because it&#8217;s the most important. It&#8217;s where your culture and your business results get stronger or weaker. Every time you uphold a standard, you&#8217;re protecting your business <em>and your best people<\/em>. There&#8217;s a direct correlation between enforcing job expectations, your business&#8217;s financial results, and what work feels like for the team. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-dots\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Final Thoughts: Expectations Show Others That You Believe in Them<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Setting and upholding job expectations isn\u2019t about control. It\u2019s about clarity, empowerment, and shared success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And to close the loop on my journal expose&#8230; these were not in-my-head &#8220;stories I&#8217;m telling myself.&#8221; As an orgnization with a value of honesty, these things have been said to or about me (yes, behind my back). But over time, and with intentional employee turnover and growth, here&#8217;s what I&#8217;ve learned:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Whoever you&#8217;re looking for, is looking for you too. Your expectations will be too high for some people &#8211; perhaps for lots of people. (And the ownness is 100% on the manager to communicate job expectations and standards clearly, and quickly weed out who is and isn&#8217;t up to the task). But there <em>are <\/em>people out there who want to be held to <em>your <\/em>brand and cultural standards. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So when you find and select these people, it&#8217;s a gift to help them get further than they could on their own. To get them operating at a level that&#8217;s more than what they even know is possible for themselves. This is where Adam Grant&#8217;s cue comes into play:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I have high expectations of you because I believe you can reach them.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You, as a leader, deserve to run a company where high standards are the norm, not the exception.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>While I was away, I read Reboot: Leadership and the Art of Growing Up, a book recommended by our beloved Michelle Nicholson of FARMUSE. This is not your typical how-to leadership book. It\u2019s more on the therapy end of the spectrum than the business end. Each chapter includes personal stories by the author, anecdotes from [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":9077,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[484],"tags":[136,137,195,197,114,65,308,310,452,202,203,149],"class_list":["post-9070","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-people","tag-creative-business-advisor","tag-creative-business-coach","tag-creative-business-strategy","tag-employee","tag-expectations","tag-feedback","tag-leadership","tag-management","tag-position-agreement","tag-small-business-advisor","tag-small-business-coach","tag-small-business-strategy"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Setting &amp; Upholding Job Expectations Is the Heartbeat of Your Small Business - Ellevated Outcomes<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Welcome to one of the most critical (and emotionally layered) realities of leadership: setting and upholding job expectations and standards.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Setting &amp; Upholding Job Expectations Is the Heartbeat of Your Small Business - Ellevated Outcomes\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Welcome to one of the most critical (and emotionally layered) realities of leadership: setting and upholding job expectations and standards.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/zudigitest.com\/ellevatedoutcomes\/setting-and-upholding-job-expectations\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Ellevated Outcomes\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/web.facebook.com\/ellevatedoutcomes\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-07-13T12:00:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-06-15T19:49:44+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/zudigitest.com\/ellevatedoutcomes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/boss-preparing-job-expectations-2.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"774\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Julie Sellers\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Julie Sellers\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"7 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/zudigitest.com\\\/ellevatedoutcomes\\\/setting-and-upholding-job-expectations\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/zudigitest.com\\\/ellevatedoutcomes\\\/setting-and-upholding-job-expectations\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Julie Sellers\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/zudigitest.com\\\/ellevatedoutcomes\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/22cba89f7e5da6fb31694648eebefcfc\"},\"headline\":\"Setting &amp; 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