How to Confirm What Is Expected and by When
Turn a new manager's expectations into a written, ranked set of deliverables with dates. Reach for this in your first two weeks, and again whenever your priorities shift.
Developing
Start here. Build the foundation.- 1
In your first week, book 30 minutes with your manager for one question: what you are expected to deliver in your first few months, and by when. Ask for concrete outputs, not themes; 'a working intake form by the end of month two' is a deliverable, 'get up to speed' is not. Write each result and date where your manager can see it.
- 2
Within a day, write the expectations back in your own words and send them to your manager. Ask directly whether you have the priorities and dates right, and change your list to match. You are done when your manager agrees the written version is accurate.
Proficient
Build consistency and rhythm.- 3
When your list holds more than you can do at once, order it by what matters most to your manager, not by what is easiest to start. Confirm the order in your next check-in, because a ranking your manager has not seen is only a guess.
- 4
When a priority changes or a date stops being realistic, update the written list that week rather than working to a stale version. Mark the retired target as retired and name what replaced it, so the history stays visible.
Mastered
Operate at the highest level.- 5
Once your own list is stable, turn it into a reusable template: the questions to ask a manager and the expectations a new person in your role should confirm. You are done when the next hire starts from it instead of a blank page.
Common Pitfalls
Avoid the common failure modes.- The expectations are all themes and no deliverables. You accepted 'get up to speed.' Ask what specific output would show you are up to speed, and by when.
- You are working hard on the wrong thing because the ranking never got confirmed. Take your ordered list to your manager and check it.
- It is month three and the list is still week one's. Update it the week a priority moves, not at the next review.