Sitting down for a discussion with someone who’s given you a task is a natural part of work. It’s also understandably stressful because you have to deal with their reaction, which you don’t know yet.
And if you need to tell them that some of their expectations have to be adjusted because of certain limitations on your end, then it gets even trickier.
Fortunately, there are safe ways for you to convince them to see things from your perspective, while still being honest and transparent. Here are some steps you can take to properly set your requestor’s expectations, risk-free!
Be the one to open the subject.
Ask any team leader, and they’ll say that they’d rather have team members who take the initiative to provide updates than members who only update when asked. Likewise, customers prefer professionals who approach first. Plus, they’ll be more likely to accept what you say because you created urgency by making the first move. Be the one to start the discussion – in general, they’ll appreciate that so much!
Affirm your ownership of your process.
Provide a healthy level of reassurance that you will deal with everything yourself. Give your customer, your colleague, or your boss a reason to trust that you’ll handle the situation without any unnecessary extra effort from them. They’ll be less likely to try controlling your strategy or your process if you do this.
Be specific without confusing the listener.
Share just enough details with your requestor to satisfy their desire to understand what’s happening to their request. Avoid using vague language, but don’t be too technical or in-depth either. Strive for a balanced and transparent report.
Follow a logical flow.
Make sure you’re communicating how things will happen. If you need to, base your report or expectation-setting discussion on the actual flow of your process from start to finish. This will help you highlight stages where they can expect some development or progress.
Give yourself some wiggle room.
When providing an estimated time frame on deliverables, never give a singular figure (i.e. 5 hours). Always use a range (i.e. 4 to 6 hours) so that you have room to adjust. Use this to subtly reiterate the idea that your process is a legitimate one that follows a specific timeline, making them less likely to impose what they think is an appropriate turnaround time.
Be sure to take advantage of these hacks, and combine them with your own tried-and-tested techniques. Relieve yourself of unnecessary stress, and master the art of expectation setting!