Clear leadership and expectations

What is clear leadership and expectations?

Clear leadership and expectations are set by leaders who provide sufficient support to help workers know what they need to do, explain how their work contributes to the organization, and discuss the nature and expected outcomes of changes. There are many types of leadership, each affecting psychological safety and health differently. The most widely accepted categories of leadership are instrumental, transactional and transformational. Of these, transformational leadership is considered the most impactful.

Instrumental leadership focuses primarily on producing outcomes, paying little attention to the big picture, including the organization’s psychosocial dynamics and, unfortunately, their individual workers.

Transactional leadership focuses on results, conforms to an organization’s existing structure and measures success according to its system of rewards and penalties. Transactional leaders have formal authority and positions of responsibility in an organization. This type of leader is responsible for maintaining routine by managing individual performance and facilitating group performance.

Transformational leaders motivate others to do more than what is expected. They are concerned with long-term objectives and inspire a sense of vision, mission and purpose. They have charisma, consider their workers individually, stimulate intellectual capabilities and motivate others.

An organization with strong leadership and clear expectations can state:

  • Workers know what they are expected to do in their jobs.
  • Leadership is effective.
  • Workers receive timely information on important changes.
  • Supervisors provide helpful feedback to workers on their expected and actual performance.
  • There is clear and effective communication.

Why are clear leadership and expectations important?

Clear leadership and expectations can positively affect worker health. Effective leadership increases morale, resiliency and trust, and decreases frustration and conflict. Skilled leadership enhances well-being, reduces sick leaves and reduces the number of early retirements with disability pensions. A leader who maintains their own physical and psychological health can influence their team’s health by reducing rates of sickness, absenteeism and presenteeism. Competent leaders also enhance the organization’s health through enhanced engagement and productivity.

Leaders who are more instrumental in their approach (rather than transformational) are more likely to find their staff complaining of general discomfort/illness, irritability or nervousness. Similarly, leaders who do not maintain their own physical and psychological health set a poor example and can undermine the purpose of the programs, policies and services intended to support workers. Middle managers are at greater risk, since they must be leaders and be led at the same time. This may lead to increased feelings of powerlessness and stress.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Emphasize the importance of emotionally intelligent leaders when hiring or considering promotions.
  • Support opportunities for regular communication and interaction between leaders and staff.
  • Ensure that workers clearly understand their tasks and responsibilities, and how their work contributes to the organization’s success.
  • Begin a mentoring or job-shadowing program for new leaders.
  • Provide leadership training to supervisors.
  • Train managers in effective communication, emotional intelligence and problem-solving skills.
  • Share the organization’s culture and values with new leaders.
  • Inform workers on what is happening in the organization through regular newsletters, bulletins or intranet updates.
  • Ensure regular and open communication between managers and direct reports, especially during times of change and uncertainty.
  • Hold regular staff meetings and emphasize the importance that management attends.
  • Strive for direct, accurate and timely communication from senior management, especially about tough decisions (layoffs, terminations, etc.).
  • Regularly review roles to ensure they are aligned with workplace goals and objectives, and that there isn’t unnecessary repetition.
  • Ensure that job descriptions are current, specific and agreed-upon by affected staff.
  • Create and communicate clear expectations for people leaders’ behaviour, using accountability agreements.
  • Conduct regular performance check-ins and reviews for all staff (including management) that includes collaborative and two-way feedback.
  • Check in regularly to ensure workers know what they are expected to do. If they do not, resolve these issues by providing clear direction and support.
  • Ensure workers are involved in decision-making, whenever possible. Where not possible, provide timely and clear information about upcoming changes in the work environment. For best results, inform workers before the changes take place.
  • Schedule time for regular one-on-ones between leaders and direct reports to provide helpful feedback on their expected and actual performance.
  • Ensure the organization provides clear effective communication at all levels.

Action

Next steps: Ensuring clear leadership and expectations in the work environment.

▸ Objective

A work environment where there is effective leadership and support to help workers know what they need to do, how their work contributes to the organization and any impending changes.

▸ Benefits
  • Workers have clear expectations on job responsibilities and roles
  • Positive worker morale and resiliency, especially during times of stress and change
  • Reduced worker frustration and conflict
  • Enhanced trust in the organization and its leaders
▸ Reflection Questions
  • Do issues related to clear leadership and expectations present a greater risk to specific groups of workers (new workers, certain jobs, young workers, shift workers, etc.)?
  • What are your workplace’s strengths in terms of clear leadership and expectations? (What do you do well and what should you continue doing?)
  • What could your workplace do to improve in this area? (What could you do more of and what could you do less of?)