When leaders take over or build teams, we need to show courage in our purpose and direction, clarity in our expectations, and connection in our relationships. Communicating different expectations with team members who have skills we don't or feel they already know thier jobs can be a challenge.
My horse, Echo, is a very bright ex-lesson and show horse. He was used to knowing his job. In fact, when Echo was ridden by young children in horse shows he would listen to the announcer say the arena pattern, then follow it even if his rider was giving him incorrect signals. Echo literally won shows for his riders. When he gave lessons, at the one-hour mark, Echo would stop and start heading for his stall. Echo was confident--he knew the goals, his role, and what the expectations were.
When I got Echo, the first thing I needed to communicate was an entirely different set of expectations and rules. We were not done after one hour, and there was no announcer or riding instructor to listen to. I had to be courageous in changing his behavior and provide clarity about our goals, roles, and my expectations --- in Echo’s language. I had to ask for something entirely different than what he expected. As I did so, I had to be sure he clearly understood what I was asking before I punished him. I wanted to maintain our connection by being empathetic and understanding about where he was coming from.
Echo’s misbehavior was not from laziness or stubbornness—his behavior at times literally “missed” because I was unclear. Providing clarity to Echo in all my communication was a critical factor to success. As we learned to understand each other, our communication got better. The clearer I was in what I asked for, the better Echo performed.
Our teams reflect our clarity, connection and courage. We need to have courage to chart our own course, and communicate our expectations clearly. When we are misunderstood, we need to own our communication, maintain connection and respect, and ensure our messages are received as intended. The clearer we are in communicating our expectations, the better our teams will perform.
