Standards & Expectations – Introduction

Standards and expectations establish the how of work performance. These ‘hows’ represent leadership’s translation of the organization’s values to the everyday behaviors members of the workforce should exhibit when performing assigned tasks. (See Figure 1) Subsequently, performance standards form the basis against which individual and group behavioral performance is evaluated.

Effective performance standards are broadly communicated, consistently applied, and uniformly interpreted; yet allow enough flexibility and intent-based implementation so as to not stifle efficient work performance. Examined more closely, these characteristics imply:

• Broadly Communicated – all members of the organization must be aware and understand the intent of performance expectations as well as the applicability to their job assignments
• Consistently Applied – all members of the organization are held to the same high standards of performance all of the time
• Uniformly Interpreted – standards are substantively defined so as to eliminate a great deal, if not all, of the subjectivity in their interpretation, thereby, clearly defining their implementation and enabling performance evaluation and comparison
• Flexibility and Intent-Based Implementation – no set of standards can cover all possible situations, therefore, organization members must understand the value basis of the expectations such that they can reasonably define and exhibit the intended behaviors during unforeseen circumstances

Focus of the Standards & Expectations Topic

A high quality, effectively implemented set of standards and expectations are a critical component of the strategy driven organization. The combination of mission aligned task assignments, performance standards, and results goals establishes what is expected of strategy driven organization members. Articles in this area are dedicated to discussing the leading practices of companies that develop and implement performance standards that shape behaviors to the effective, efficient achievement of mission goals and organizational values. The following articles, podcasts, documents, and resources cover those topics important to clearly defined and well communicated performance standards well aligned to the organization’s mission goals and values.

Articles

• Defining Performance Standards, part 1 of 8 by StrategyDriven Contributors
• Warning Flag – Standards Creep by StrategyDriven Contributors
• Warning Flag – Ghost Standards by StrategyDriven Contributors

Standards and Expectations – Defining Performance Standards, part 1 of 8

Standards and expectations define how work is to be performed; providing guidance for the consistent, efficient, value-based execution of tasks. At the outset, developing a comprehensive set of performance standards often appears to be an overwhelming and daunting task as employees within even the ’least complex’ organizations perform countless different activities every day. However, it is not intended that performance standards be developed for every conceivable activity. Rather, standards should be formulated for those activities reflecting organizational values, implementing corporate strategy, and presenting significant risk. The documented basis behind this finite set of standards provides the guidance needed for employees to make rational judgments about the conduct of less significant activities.

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Standards and Expectations Warning Flag 1 – Standards Creep

Have you ever been confronted by a customer’s challenge that your product or service quality just isn’t what it used to be? Or notice the number of quality defects in your products or services has somehow increased over the past months, quarters, or years? Or felt so much pressure to get something done that you deemed the quality to be ‘good enough for government work?’

All of these are signs of standards creep; not a beneficial raising of the bar but rather an allowance of ever worsening performance.

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Standards and Expectations Warning Flag 2 – Ghost Standards

Some things can go without saying… performance standards are not one of them.

By defining expected behaviors, performance standards serve as both a translation of the organization’s values and a foundational cornerstone of individual accountability. Yet some executives and managers don’t specify their expectations; leaving employees to decide for themselves what behaviors to exhibit. And because of differing individual gifts, experiences, and beliefs, each employee will divine a slightly different set of expectations; resulting in inconsistent performance at best.

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