The Foundation of Leadership: Setting Clear Expectations in Rural Community Colleges

Coach Larry Pritchett (bottom right) with the 1968 State Champions, including my dad, John Long (second from right standing)

In the dynamic environment of our institutions, where every role significantly contributes to student success and community vitality, clarity around expectations isn't just helpful – it's essential.

Today, we often strive to be coaches, not just bosses – guiding and developing our teams. But let's be clear: a workplace coach isn't about being perpetually positive. Think about the best coaches you've had. For me, it was my high school basketball coach, Larry Pritchett. He coached my dad early in his career and me in the early 90s, embodying the spirit of a true coach. He wasn't there just to be liked; he was there to guide us toward excellence.

I vividly recall the organized structure of his practices, the clear game plans he laid out, and the incredibly high standards he held for our fundamental skills. He wasn't a coach who prioritized making us feel good above all else. In fact, he famously said, "If I'm not yelling at you, you should be concerned, because at that point, I don't think you can get better. When I am yelling, it's because I believe in your potential and want you to reach it." Beyond the yelling, you knew he cared deeply about your development. He believed in us, sometimes more than we believed in ourselves, and pushed us to become better players and better individuals.

Let me be clear. You should not yell at your staff. But, Coach Pritchett's approach highlights a crucial leadership principle: clear, direct communication about performance, rooted in a genuine desire for growth. In our rural settings, where teams might be smaller and roles often overlap, clearly defined expectations are even more critical for efficiency and collaboration.

The Three Pillars of Coaching

Looking back, what you probably appreciated most about those impactful coaches was that they believed in your potential even when you doubted it, pushing you to become more than you thought possible. The key was knowing their motivation stemmed from a genuine care for your growth, not just the organizational bottom line.

When you boil it down, being a great coach in any setting – whether on the court or in the college – comes down to three key things:

1. Establish clear, high expectations, which provides the roadmap.

2. Continually Coach, offering guidance along the way.

3. Create accountability, ensuring we all stay on course toward our shared goals.

The Bedrock of Engagement: Knowing What's Expected

This brings us directly to the Gallup Q12, which measures workplace engagement. The very first question, truly the bedrock upon which the rest are built, is:

#1. I know what is expected of me at work.

Without this clarity, it's difficult for individuals to feel confident and contribute effectively. Often, we operate under the assumption of shared understanding, but this is not always the case in workplaces with multiple generations and multiple thoughts about work. As a manager, it is your role to create clear expectations on the standards of your department.

To help you I create a template designed to help you set and clearly communicate your fundamental workplace standards. This covers everything from daily expectations around timeliness and dress code to communication styles and various other operational norms. Look in the Open Educational Resources at the bottom of this page and then do the work to complete and share with your team.