In quick succession, three people approached me about their situations. While the situations were all different, there were similarities. Common themes I saw centered on the ability to be direct in conversations and to achieve clarity in each person’s circumstances.

Let’s take a brief look at each situation.

SITUATION 1. An early careerist approached me to share that the small company he works for does not do yearly evaluations (or any performance reviews), and does not provide regular skill building. This is not unusual in some industries and in many smaller companies. This person was comfortable bringing these items to me, and I could sense he would be comfortable with direct feedback.

I suggested instead of waiting to see if his leader would do a performance review (as one had not taken place in over a year) that he take the lead. My advice: “Send a note to the leader and share that you would love to have time to review your performance and offer to take the first shot at it. Explain that the reason is that you want to continue to learn, and this will be helpful and appreciated.” Within 24 hours, the person sent me a note saying that his leader had scheduled a review session.

Regarding the issue of skill building, I asked who he feels oversees his development. We discussed the question. I shared that in my view, he oversees his development. I asked if the company has ever provided him with skill-building opportunities outside of gaining from his on-the-job work. He said they had paid for an online course that he completed. I asked if he had sent a note to his leader on what he learned and outcomes the learning helped achieve. He said he had not. I explained that he is being invested in. My advice is that he explain the value of the investment and add these questions to his next meeting with his leader: What am I doing well? What opportunities are there to improve? What books, classes, or other development suggestions do you have?

Asking these questions will help this person be a great leader someday. The above are normal developmental experiences. Anyone can take charge of their own development. Be proactive.

SITUATION 2. A supervisor shared that the individuals he supervises are not consistently meeting expectations. My response was, “Do you feel they clearly understand your expectations?” My experience is that a large influencer of failure is lack of clarity. Do not assume people know what right looks like. After you show a person what right looks like, make sure they can also demonstrate it in a supportive way. Most of the time when a person understands what right looks like, they can duplicate the work. If not, see what the barriers to achieving the desired outcome might be. It could be that a better explanation is needed. Often someone who does something well will be too quick in a demonstration. It may be a matter of more repetition.

A month went by, and I saw the person again. I asked how it was going. He replied that things were much better; however, there was still inconsistency in completing the daily checklist. I suggested that each day he recognize people who get the checklist turned in. Then track how many days in a row each person submits the checklist. He then offered his idea that after so many days of being consistent, he will bonus the people who achieve the consistency goal. I said, “That is a good idea.” The takeaways are around clarity of the desired outcome, investing in skill building, and recognizing and rewarding good performance.

SITUATION 3. A person came to see me after being let go from a company. He was very disappointed. Enough time had passed that he had moved into the “What can I do better?” mindset. When we discussed clarity of expected outcomes, he said they were vague. I asked the person if he had been direct with his leader on what the measurable outcomes were. The more objective measurable results a person is given, the better the odds of achieving the outcomes. I then asked the person if he had been direct with the leader on performance. This can be as simple as asking, “Am I meeting your expectations?” He said that a past leader had him complete a developmental checklist, and his most recent leader did not do this. It came across as his thinking it was the leader’s issue. My answer was that he could have done it and sent it to the leader. Don’t be a victim thinker.

As we discussed the situation further, the person concluded that because he was unsure of how he was doing, he had shied away from asking. He was fearful about what he would hear. This is not unusual. Yet the statement “No news is good news” is often not correct. In looking in the rearview mirror, the person shared that he tends to shy away from items that make him uncomfortable. I get it. I do the same. The summary here is to push for clarity of goals and feedback.

In conclusion, one’s performance is very influenced by the clarity of goals, actions, and communications. Take ownership of all. If these items are not made clear, ask questions until you get an answer you understand. This makes a huge difference in your performance and career.