Insight: Over and over again, I see managers and team members interact in a way that sets themselves up for disappointment.

During a meeting I attended a few months ago, a manager noted a concern that could delay the product release by a few days. Dave, a team member, said, “I’ll look into it and get back to you,” and they moved on to other topics.

When the manager and Dave didn’t clarify what specifically was expected or by when, they accepted a vague agreement and greatly increased the likelihood of disappointment. The manager left the conversation wondering if his concern would be addressed. Dave left not knowing what was expected of him.

I interrupted the meeting and asked Dave, “By when will you look into that concern?” Dave paused and said, “Well, I really don’t know what my next steps should be.” Dave and the manager then worked out an action plan with clear expectations and completion dates.

Clarifying By When caused them to define their mutual expectations. The manager was now confident that the concern was being addressed, and Dave understood what was expected of him.

Action: Simply asking By When a commitment will be fulfilled encourages the questions of Who and What. This helps ensure that:

• The next steps are clarified.
• The expectations, including completion dates, are defined.
• A specific person is taking responsibility.