I’m on a trip this week with my church. Over the years, during and after trips I realize key details that need to be fixed. This year, I realized something early in the trip: I am the only adult who has seen a schedule.
Our trip is one we have developed, so I wrote out my own schedule. Because I’m the only person who knows the schedule, I’m the only one who knows when we need to leave or stay, or what comes next.
This is okay, as long as I am okay with no one sticking to my schedule. And how could they know the schedule, if I haven’t shown them?
The leadership principle here is simple: communicate expectations.
Now, don’t get me wrong: I have great adult volunteers who do an incredible job of loving kids and forgiving my mistakes.
But over the years I’ve learned that if I am going to expect someone to do something, I have to find a way to communicate my expectations.
This goes for kids when we go on a trip, for adults as we work to point teenagers to Christ, and even when I’ve occasionally coached basketball teams. Everyone wins when you are able to communicate what is expected.
Like this? Subscribe here to get 3 Question Leadership posts in your inbox.
2 Comments
Communicating Expectations Well | 3 Question Leadership · March 6, 2018 at 8:08 AM
[…] One of the things I have most enjoyed about blogging over the past year has been the lessons I have learned and processed through my writing. Almost a year ago, I broke an unwritten rule I have about not writing about an idea or topic that recently took place when I wrote about communicating expectations. […]
Flashback Friday #6 | 3 Question Leadership · February 28, 2020 at 8:02 AM
[…] job experience and evaluation. A few years ago, while on a trip, I waged a battle in my head, and wrote about my learning from it. Today, we are stepping back to that lesson. Here’s a […]