9. Get Clear On Expectations.

Create clarity and avoid misunderstandings by discussing expectations upfront. Establish mutually understood objectives and timelines for all projects, action items, and commitments. Set expectations for others and ask when you're not clear on what they expect from you.

Jeff's Message:

The one thing I love about our fundamentals is that they all require us to fulfill multiple fundamentals when living out any one fundamental. I chose to write about this week’s fundamental, Get Clear on Expectations. We have many different departments responsible for many different functions in our distribution business. In order for our business to be successful and profitable, the left hand has to know what the right hand is doing. If we aren’t clear on what is needed OR what is required of us, individual tasks and larger projects may be subject to failure or mistakes.

We all must Speak Straight, Communicate to be Understood, Share the Why, and Listen Generously and with Patience. These fundamentals are imperative to help us Get Clear on Expectations and communicate directly and clearly with our teams. This also helps other departments and everyone understands the best way to help you help them. Listening to understand will help you understand what is expected of you.

The associate who comes to mind who practices this fundamental well is Mark Mapel in the Sebring Central Distribution Center. I had the pleasure of working with Mark for a few years. I got to witness the organized chaos that is the CDC. It works because Mark communicates very well to his team to help them understand what they need to do to satisfy a customer demand. If he doesn’t understand or hs questions about the task being asked of him, he asks the questions needed to help him get clear.

Thank you for your efforts to get clear on expectations and let’s have a great week!

Thank you,

Jeff Mason
Inside Sales Building Products