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The Real Reason Your Team Misses: Unclear Expectations
You’ve given the direction. Your team nodded in agreement. The deadline passed. The result missed…and the post-mortem begins. Here’s the truth most won’t say out loud: your people aren’t failing you; your unclear expectations are failing them.
Earlier this month at the Genius Network Annual Event, I listened to, and had the chance to meet, Chris Voss and Jefferson Fisher. The common thread in their work is simple and powerful: elite leaders’ communication skills are built, with intention and focus. And what I’ve said for years was reconfirmed: the underlying cause of most of our frustrations with people is unclear expectations. Until you fix that, you’ll keep getting the same confusion and missing the outcomes you want.
Big Idea
Communication is a leadership discipline, not a soft skill. If you don’t invest in it, execution drifts, accountability blurs, profits leak, and momentum dies. Voss’s negotiation tools and Fisher’s “argue less/talk more” mindset pair perfectly with our Next Level Growth framework: Great People, an Inspiring Purpose, Optimized Playbooks, a Culture of Performance, and Growing Profits & Cash Flow. When expectations are explicit and confirmed, in writing and in conversation, teams move faster with less friction. That’s how elite organizations scale.
Problem → Case → Solution
The Problem: Execution Misses the Goal
Leaders think they were clear. Teammates think they understood. Both are wrong. The rework, the missed handoffs, the “I thought you meant…” spiral…all symptoms of unclear expectations.
The Cause: Unclear Expectations
I teach leadership teams this constantly: if you’re frustrated, check the expectation first. When expectations are specific and agreed upon, performance improves, and conflict drops. “Agreements prevent disagreements.”
The Solution: Communicate Like an Elite Leader
Borrow the best of Voss and Fisher—and mesh it with a principles-based framework your team can live every day.
Fix those, and the “communication” issues disappear.
7 High-Impact Moves You Can Use Today
1. Start with the Outcome, then the Why, then the When
Open every 1:1 or team discussion by naming the result, the reason, and the deadline:
“By May 15, we need 3 enterprise demos booked per rep to hit our Q2 revenue plan.” Tie outcomes to profit and cash flow so people understand the stakes.
2. Confirm Alignment with Calibrated “What/How” Questions
Chris Voss teaches calibrated questions that begin with What or How to surface assumptions and drive clarity. Try:
- “How will you approach the rollout?”
- “What does success look like from your seat?”
They force a thoughtful response and reveal gaps before they become misses.
3. Label and Mirror to Surface Hidden Concerns
Use labels (“It sounds like…”, “It seems like…”) and mirrors (repeat the last 1–3 words) to draw out what people won’t volunteer: “It sounds like the timeline worries you.” Now you can remove a blocker or renegotiate scope before performance slips.
4. Seek the “That’s Right” Moment
Don’t settle for “yes.” Summarize what you heard so completely that your counterpart says, “That’s right.” According to Voss, that’s a signal of real alignment—emotional buy-in, not lip service. Make this your close to every expectation-setting conversation.
5. Make the Next Conversation Possible
Jefferson Fisher’s core principle: keep every tough conversation safe enough for the next one. End with: “Let’s check in next Tuesday for 10 minutes to see what’s working and what needs help.” It protects the relationship and guarantees follow-through.
6. Put Expectations in Writing with MMOs®
Verbal clarity without written clarity still leaks performance. Use MMOs—Mission, Most Critical Outcome, and Obsessions—on your Accountability Chart so each role knows exactly what “winning” looks like. Example for Sales Leader:
- Mission: Ensure sufficient conversion of target market leads to meet or exceed all revenue goals.
- MCO: Revenue dollars >= goal
- Obsessions:
- Lead, manage, retain, and hold the sales team accountable
- Own the sales strategy, plans, and outcomes
- Own the sales process playbooks, training, execution, and outcomes
- Meet or exceed all sales metrics and KPIs
This turns vague hopes into concrete agreements you can coach around.
7. Install Quarterly Calibrations and Weekly Tactical Meetings
Elite teams don’t wait for annual reviews. Run Quarterly Calibrations—leader and direct report align on core values and MMO accountabilities, with simple ratings: exceeding, meeting, or not meeting expectations. Pair that with a Weekly Tactical Meeting where you review measurables, priorities, and issues to solve now. That’s how you keep expectations fresh and performance visible.
Scripts and Phrases You Can Steal
- Expectation Set (leader to direct report):
“By June 30, we need Customer Success NPS > 60. The reason: we’re defending margins and reducing churn to protect cash. How will you approach it, and what checkpoints do you recommend?”
- Label + Mirror (when you sense hesitation):
Team member: “It sounds like the timeline is tight…
Leader: ‘Tight?’” (Pause. Let them fill the silence.)
- “That’s Right” Summary (before you delegate):
“So here’s what I’m hearing you say: the obstacle is data quality, you’ll pilot with Tier-A accounts, you’ll present the first NPS shift plan Friday, and I’ll unblock ops support. That’s the plan?” You’re looking for them to confirm by saying, “That’s right.”
- Fisher’s Next Conversation Close:
“Let’s huddle next Wednesday for ten minutes to check progress and adjust. Fair?”
- No-Oriented Check (Voss-style):
“Would it be a bad idea to escalate this if data isn’t fixed by Friday?” These “no-oriented” questions produce safer, more honest answers than pushing for “yes.”
Why This Matters to Profit and Cash Flow
Unclear expectations create expensive waste: rework, delays, churn, and turnover. When roles have MMOs and leaders practice calibrated questions, labels, and “that’s right” summaries, execution tightens—and profits follow. We’ve seen teams hit revenue goals faster and reduce friction simply by clarifying who owns which outcomes and by coaching to those outcomes in Quarterly Calibrations. That’s how you turn communication into a growth machine and drive more profit and cash flow.
Recap
- Most leadership frustration is a communication problem, not a people problem, and it starts with unclear expectations.
- Voss gives you tactical empathy tools: calibrated questions, labels, mirrors, and “that’s right”—to create real alignment.
- Fisher keeps tough talks safe enough for the next one, so momentum continues.
- Write expectations into your structure with MMOs and reinforce them in Quarterly Calibrations and Weekly Tactical check-ins.
So where do you go from here? Start by upgrading the way you set, confirm, and coach expectations—every week, every seat.
Inspiration is Perishable – Act on it Quickly
- Would it be a bad idea to grab a copy of Five Obsessions of Elite Organizations (Amazon, Audible, or FiveObsessions.com) so you can install the principles—and the language—that make clear expectations your competitive edge?
- Is it ridiculous for you and your team to take the Elite Organizations Assessment now and see where unclear expectations are costing you in Great People, Inspiring Purpose, Optimized Playbooks, Culture of Performance, and Growing Profits & Cash Flow? (NextLevelGrowth.com/Assessment)
- Would it be unreasonable to meet our team to learn if and how a Next Level Growth principles-based framework (not a constraining, one-size-fits-all system) could help you custom-build your communication and execution rhythm? (NextLevelGrowth.com/team)
If you said “no” to any of the above, that’s your signal to make the next step happen.
