Roles, Responsibilities & Expectations
According to Gallup, the single most important factor for strengthening team communication is the role of the Manager. As a Manager / Leader, you have a tough job -- both managing up to meet the boss' expectations, and managing down, responsible for the actions and work products of your direct reports.
The foundational conversation to improve team performance is around clarifying roles and responsibilities of your team members. This is Conversation 1 of 5 to have with your team members; future conversation activity guides will be issued over the next 4 weeks of this series.
This conversation should be at a minimum, when they are first hired and annually to ensure continued alignment.
Why Are Roles and Responsibilities Conversations Important?
Ambiguity in the workplace is a recipe for frustration, inefficiency, and disengagement. According to Gallup, only 50% of employees strongly agree that they know what’s expected of them at work. When people don’t understand their roles—or how their work fits into the organization’s goals—they’re less likely to thrive.
The Roles and Responsibilities conversation is the antidote. It provides an opportunity for managers and employees to clarify expectations, redefine priorities, and connect an individual’s work to the organization’s mission and vision.
Here's what that conversation looks like:
You clarify start / end times and work-from-home options (as applicable)
Define what success looks like in the individual's role
Explain key deliverables or expected outcomes of the role
Clarify expectations of working together (how you as the manager will behave / how the employee is expected to behave). For example, "You can expect me to be driven by my calendar. What I expect of you is to be on time for appointments, etc." The have the "What's missing?" conversation.
Jointly set goals that stretch the employee to achieve his/her best performance
Review the employee's strengths and how they contribute to their success in his/her role
Discuss any "unwritten rules" of the organization's culture
Help the employee understand how his/her role contributes to the overall mission and vision of the organization and to any specific departmental or team goals
Don't Know Your Employee's CliftonStrengths Yet?
You can use the "5 Clues to Talent" to help them understand their natural areas of strength. Here are the discussion questions. Remember, this is a discussion, so use active listening to draw more out of your employees. They should be doing most of the talking in this discussion framework:
Yearning: To what kinds of activities are you naturally drawn?
Rapid Learning: What kinds of activities do you seem to pick up quickly?
Flow: In what activities do you seem to automatically know the steps to be taken?
Glimpses of Excellence: During what activities have you had moments of subconscious excellence when you thought, “How did I do that?”
Satisfaction: What activities give you a kick, either while doing them or immediately after finishing them, and you think, “When can I do that again?”
These conversations also help employees see how their work relates to overall company objectives and their teammates' goals and strengths. And they help employees understand how to aim their strengths to further shared objectives -- which ultimately contributes to improved team performance.
Best Practices for a Successful Conversation
Make it a dialogue. This isn’t a one-sided performance review; it’s a collaborative discussion. Invite employees to share their thoughts, questions, and concerns.
Revisit regularly. Roles and responsibilities can shift with new projects, organizational changes, or personal growth. Check in periodically to keep expectations fresh and relevant.
Connect to the bigger picture. Help employees see how their work impacts the team, the organization, and even the company’s mission. People are more engaged when they know their contributions matter.
A Conversation that Empowers
When done well, the Roles and Responsibilities conversation does more than clarify tasks—it empowers employees to take ownership of their role. It reinforces that their work is valued and that their manager is invested in their success.
As a manager, when was the last time you had a Roles and Responsibilities conversation with your team? If it’s been a while, consider scheduling one soon—you might be surprised at how it transforms clarity and engagement!
