We’ve all heard it: leaders who just love to hear themselves talk…and talk and talk…never landing on a point or delivering a clear message. If you’ve ever been told you’re an “over talker” or that people don’t understand you, try a couple of these tips:

• Think about the “headline” of what you want to say – and say that first.
• Include a few specifics, but keep your points crisp – edit yourself.
• Pay attention to your listeners – respond to their interests.
• Target your message to your audience – it’s not about you.
• Ditch the filler words – they keep your mouth moving but add no value.

To be an effective leader when communicating – remember, less is more.  

Goals are met when expectations are set and performance is aligned. Without clear expectations, you end up driving performance on a hope or a wish, often damaging relationships in the process.

Here are tips to help you get better at setting expectations:

Know Where You Need Expectations
Be selective and set expectations on things that matter the most. What quality levels are required? What defines success in your customers’ eyes? What are critical roles to getting the job done? How and what do we communicate and how often?

Define Your Expectations
If you can’t articulate an expectation verbally or on paper, you aren’t ready to set an expectation. Holding teams accountable to unclear or abstract expectations is not fair to your teams or you.

Help Teams Understand Why You Need Expectations
Set context and provide linkage. Help your teams see the bigger picture so they can engage and commit more genuinely.

Make Expectations Clear
Don’t assume that your teams will intuitively know your expectations. Sit down, verbalize the expectations and encourage a dialogue to ensure both understanding and commitment.

Make it Mutual
Tell your team what you expect of them and ask their expectations of you! Unclear expectations can cause strife, conflict and poor performance. Don’t leave them to chance.