Is your team not showing up the way you want them to? Turns out, you might be missing the mark on communicating your expectations.

One of the most common frustrations leaders face is when their team doesn’t perform or behave in the way they expect. But have these expectations been clearly defined and communicated? 

In this coaching episode, host, Jen Arnold is joined by leadership coach Julie Binter, Founder of Clear The Way Coaching & Consulting, to discuss how leaders can move past frustration to defining their team culture.

In this conversation, Jen and Julie discuss the critical importance of making expectations explicit, how to define and communicate desired behaviors, and strategies for reinforcing expectations consistently over time.

You’ll walk away with practical strategies to stop the cycle of disappointment and start building the team culture you actually want—without coming across as rigid or micromanaging. This conversation breaks down one of leadership’s most elusive challenges into bite-sized actions you can take with your team tomorrow morning.

Key Highlights

• The “dreaded word” of expectations: Leaders often assume team members know what’s expected, but making implicit expectations explicit is essential
• Defining behaviors vs. expectations: How to translate vague expectations like “be innovative” into specific, observable behaviors
• Meeting people where they are: Balancing team standards with individual development needs
• The importance of consistency: Why saying something once isn’t enough and how to reinforce expectations without being frustrating
• Establishing your non-negotiables: How to clearly communicate your leadership boundaries (like starting meetings on time) without being rigid
• Team culture beyond your walls: How your team’s dynamics affect your reputation in the broader organization
• Bringing your team into the conversation: Strategies for collaboratively defining expectations rather than just imposing them

Links Mentioned

Prior podcast with guest Lexi B – mentioned around the 27 minute mark

Full Bio

Julie is the Founder of Clear The Way Coaching & Consulting, a company focused on helping leaders, teams, and organizations “get better at the people stuff”. As a highly accomplished leadership coach, facilitator, speaker, and trusted advisor with over 15 years of experience, she partners with people who want to increase their effectiveness, navigate change, and achieve professional and personal success. She is deeply committed to ensuring everyone can incorporate new knowledge and skills into “real life” and thrive in today’s working environment.

Julie holds an M.A. in Organizational Development & Leadership from Fielding Graduate University and a B.A. in Sociology from University of Minnesota. She’s an ICF credentialed coach, a certified emotional intelligence assessor and facilitator, and holds certifications in several other individual, team, and leader assessments. She brings a diverse perspective from her leadership and learning roles within corporate, public sector, and nonprofit organizations spanning several industries.