Set Clear Expectations: Define Competencies, Values, and Goals

In today’s fast-paced workplaces, ambiguity can derail even the most talented teams. Without clear expectations, employees struggle to align their efforts with organizational goals, leading to missed opportunities and disengagement. Only 45% of employees fully understand what’s expected of them, according to Gallup, impacting productivity and morale. To drive success, leaders must define and communicate three critical components: competencies, values, and goals. By establishing these pillars, organizations create a roadmap for performance, foster a unified culture, and empower employees to achieve their full potential. This article examines how to effectively set these expectations, ensuring clarity and accountability at every level.

Defining Organizational Values

Every organization needs a clear set of values—ideally no more than five—that shape its culture and guide behavior. These values are the foundation of what the organization stands for, influencing how employees interact and make decisions. For example, a company might prioritize values like integrity, innovation, or collaboration. These aren’t just words on a wall; they’re actionable principles that drive success. When employees understand and embody these values, they align their actions with the organization’s mission, creating a cohesive and motivated workforce. Clearly defined values ensure everyone knows the behaviors that lead to success and those that don’t.

Establishing Key Results Areas (KRAs)

Key Results Areas (KRAs) outline the specific expectations tied to a role, serving as measurable benchmarks for success. For a sales manager, KRAs might include achieving a quarterly revenue target of $500,000 or onboarding 20 new clients with a 25% lead-to-close conversion rate. These metrics, often tracked as Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), clarify what success looks like for a position. By setting KRAs, leaders provide employees with tangible goals, ensuring they understand their responsibilities and how their performance will be evaluated. This clarity reduces confusion and keeps everyone focused on outcomes that matter.

The Role of Competencies

Competencies—skills such as analytical thinking, conflict resolution, or effective communication—are sometimes viewed as less critical today, as organizations shift their focus to outcomes over specific skill sets. However, in roles where specific abilities are essential, competencies remain relevant. For instance, a project manager might need strong organizational skills to meet deadlines. Rather than prescribing how tasks must be done, modern approaches emphasize flexibility, enabling employees to utilize their diverse talents to achieve goals. When competencies are used, they should be stored in role descriptions and assessed during performance reviews to support individual development and ensure alignment with job expectations.

Aligning Goals with Organizational Success

Setting clear goals ties individual efforts to the organization’s broader objectives. Using the SMART framework—specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound—ensures goals are actionable. For example, a marketing manager might aim to increase website traffic by 25% within six months through targeted campaigns. Regular performance reviews and check-ins enable leaders to adjust goals, provide constructive feedback, and ensure ongoing alignment. Engaging employees in goal-setting fosters accountability and motivation, as they see how their work contributes to the bigger picture. Clear goals drive engagement and help teams stay agile in dynamic environments.

Individual Development Goals are the areas for personal development that an employee needs to work on to achieve the expectations of the role. These improvements are defined by any combination of some or all of the areas above. Each employee should be assigned no more than four developmental goals at a time. The objective and measurement guide success toward the goal.

Start Today with BLOOM

Setting clear expectations through competencies, values, and goals transforms teams and drives organizational success. Our BLOOM system simplifies this process, offering tools to define, track, and evaluate these critical elements. Visit leadersbloom.com to discover how BLOOM can help you create a culture of clarity, accountability, and high performance.