Set the Baseline: Expectations and Working Agreements

Vague expectations create anxious teams. This lesson is about making the invisible visible: roles, priorities, what done looks like, and the simple agreements that stop miscommunication before it starts. By the end of this lesson, you will be able to: 1. Write role clarity for each direct report, listing their top three priorities, what done looks like, and how you will measure it. 2. Run a team kickoff meeting where you communicate expectations and three working agreements, and confirm understanding by having each person restate their own priorities. 3. Create a one-page communication norms document covering response times, channels, and meeting cadence, and get sign-off from the whole team.