Establishing and Managing Agreements: Key to Accountability and Performance
Fifth installment in the Conversational Leadership series
In the organizational world, lack of clarity in commitments is one of the primary sources of frustration, conflict, and poor performance.
Many leaders assume that their team members automatically understand what is expected of them, but in reality, implicit expectations often lead to confusion and misalignment.
This is why learning how to transform vague expectations into clear, specific, and measurable agreements is essential.
A well-defined agreement not only guides behaviour and performance but also fosters responsibility and commitment within the team.
The Difference Between Implicit Expectations and Clear Agreements
Implicit expectations pose a risk to both performance and trust—trust in oneself, in the team, and in leadership.
When a leader communicates vaguely or assumes that their team “should know” what to do, the results are often inconsistent and unpredictable.
For example, an implicit expectation might sound like:
“I want the team to be more proactive in projects.”
The problem with this statement is that it does not define what being proactive means or how improvement will be measured. Each person may interpret it differently, increasing the likelihood of confusion and, ultimately, failure to meet the expectation.
In contrast, clear agreements create shared responsibility and strengthen trust.
For an agreement to be effective, it must answer five key questions:
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What is expected to be done?
- Specify the concrete action, how it looks, and how it is communicated.
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Why is it important?
- Explain its impact on the team or organization.
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How will it be achieved?
- Define the steps and necessary resources to accomplish the agreed action.
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What obstacles might arise?
- Identify potential challenges and solutions.
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What are the next steps?
- Establish a follow-up plan with clear checkpoints.
Using these five guiding questions, an expectation like “be more proactive” can be transformed into a clear agreement:
“To foster proactivity in projects, we agree that each team member will present at least one improvement proposal in every monthly meeting. We will review implementations every [defined period] and adjust the process as necessary.”
With this level of clarity, ambiguity is eliminated, and a tangible commitment is created.
It is important to emphasize that establishing an agreement, like feedback, should always be a dialogue, not a monologue.
For this reason, active listening, assertive communication, open-ended questions, effective use of silence, and nonverbal communication—all of which we have explored in previous articles in this Conversational Leadership series—are essential.
Now, let’s explore the step-by-step process for creating effective agreements.
How to Build Effective Agreements in Four Steps
Before engaging in a conversation—whether for feedback or agreement setting—it is essential to plan the discussion, ensuring that all key elements are included.
Step 1: Express the Need and the Intention
Every agreement should begin with a conversation where the leader clearly states what needs to be achieved and why it is relevant.
This allows the team members to understand the purpose and significance of the agreement.
Example:
“To improve the quality of our client deliverables, we must establish a more rigorous review process before submitting reports.”
Step 2: Convert Expectations into a Measurable Agreement
The next step is to precisely define what is expected and how to measure success.
In other words, the expectation must be observable and tangible—everyone involved should be able to recognize whether the agreement is being fulfilled clearly.
Example:
“We agree that before sending each report, another team member will review the data and provide feedback within 24 hours.”
This removes ambiguity and ensures alignment between all parties.
Step 3: Identify Obstacles and Solutions
Before finalizing the agreement, it is important to anticipate potential difficulties and define solutions.
To do this, ask the other person:
- “What obstacles do you think might prevent us from fulfilling this agreement?”
- Once they respond, ask:
- “What can we do to minimize this obstacle, and how can we handle it if it arises?”
This approach reduces resistance and encourages collaborative problem-solving.
After this discussion, there should be a clear action plan for addressing potential obstacles.
Example:
“If the team has a high workload and cannot complete the review within 24 hours, we can adjust the delivery schedule to ensure there is enough time.”
This approach demonstrates flexibility while maintaining accountability.
Step 4: Establish Follow-Up and Review
An agreement without follow-up is an empty promise.
Leaders must clearly define how and when progress will be reviewed, ensuring that all parties involved know what to expect.
Without regular follow-up, those responsible for executing the agreement may feel less committed since they know the chances of someone noticing the change—or the lack of action—are minimal.
For this reason, a structured follow-up and review process should always be included in the agreement-setting conversation.
Example:
“We will review progress weekly and assess the effectiveness of this process in our monthly meeting, making adjustments if necessary.”
This final step reinforces accountability and commitment.
Managing Unfulfilled Agreements
Despite efforts to establish clear agreements, there will be times when commitments are not met. In such cases, the goal is not to punish or blame but to restore commitment and ensure the situation does not happen again.
How to Address an Unfulfilled Agreement Productively
Like feedback and agreement setting, addressing unfulfilled agreements requires a structured dialogue between all parties involved.
This conversation should follow three key steps:
Step 1: Review the Facts Objectively
Instead of assuming a lack of commitment, start by analyzing what happened.
This means stating objective observations and asking open-ended questions to understand the reason behind the failure to meet the agreement.
Example:
“In our last meeting, we agreed that reports would be reviewed before submission. However, the latest report was sent without review. What happened?”
This question invites dialogue without creating confrontation.
Step 2: Listen and Understand the Reasons
The team member may have faced a legitimate obstacle. Instead of assuming negligence, the leader should actively listen and engage in a discussion to clearly understand the situation and work toward a new agreement.
Example:
“I understand that there was an unexpected workload. How can we adjust the process to prevent this from happening again?”
Step 3: Reaffirm Commitment and Define a Solution
Once the issue has been discussed, it is time to reinforce the importance of the agreement and define an alternative solution.
Example:
“Maintaining quality in our deliverables is essential. Let’s agree that if there is an increased workload, you will notify the team in advance so we can adjust the review timeline.”
This restores accountability without creating tension or resentment.
Final Thoughts: The Power of Clear Agreements in Leadership
As we have seen, establishing and managing agreements are essential pillars of a team’s productivity, commitment, and trust.
Reflect on Your Leadership
- Are expectations in your team clearly defined, or are they open to interpretation?
- Do your agreements include specific deadlines, responsibilities, and follow-ups?
- How do you handle unfulfilled agreements? Do you seek solutions or fall into frustration?
A leader who knows how to turn expectations into agreements and manage commitments effectively builds more autonomous, aligned, and results-driven teams.
Are you ready to transform your leadership through strategic agreements? Start today!
