Founders and small business owners managing culturally diverse, multigenerational teams while scaling operations and building sustainable leadership practices.
Why Static Expectations Don’t Work in Diverse Teams
Today’s workforce is more multigenerational and culturally diverse than ever before. Employees from different backgrounds bring distinct values, work styles, and communication preferences, making expectation-setting a complex but essential leadership responsibility.
However, many organizations fail to account for these differences, leading to miscommunication, disengagement, and workplace friction.
Jorge Loebl, senior coach at Revolving Change, highlights the root of this issue:
“Our people are changing. We have new Gen Zs joining the company, and we have a lot of Gen Xs running management, and Millennials struggling in the middle. Are we taking those sub-stages into account? Gender, cultural backgrounds, and generational mindsets all influence how expectations should be set and managed. Leaders need to factor these dynamics into how they communicate expectations.”
Without adjusting expectations to fit a multigenerational and multicultural workforce, businesses risk low engagement, high turnover, and a disconnect between leadership and employees.
The key to success is actively resetting workplace expectations in a way that is inclusive, adaptable, and culturally aware.
How Culture and Generations Disrupt Workplace Clarity
1. How Generations Shape Workplace Expectations
Each generation has distinct expectations regarding workplace communication, leadership style, and job flexibility. Without acknowledging these differences, leaders may accidentally alienate or demotivate certain groups.
- Baby Boomers (Born 1946-1964): Value loyalty, structure, and hierarchy. Expect direct feedback and clear chain of command
- Gen X (Born 1965-1980): Prefer autonomy, work-life balance, and efficiency. Expect practical communication and results-driven leadership
- Millennials (Born 1981-1996): Seek collaboration, purpose-driven work, and regular feedback. Expect flexibility and open communication from leaders
- Gen Z (Born 1997-2012): Prioritize diversity, inclusivity, and digital-first workplaces. Expect instant feedback, frequent communication, and adaptability
Loebl points out how these differences affect leadership and expectation-setting:
“We have Millennials being managed by Gen X, and now we have Gen Z joining the mix. If you don’t understand how each generation perceives authority, collaboration, and communication, you will struggle to align workplace expectations.”
Ignoring these generational differences can lead to frustration, disengagement, and resistance to leadership directives.
2. Cultural Differences and Expectation-Setting
Beyond generations, cultural backgrounds also shape how employees interpret workplace expectations.
- High-context cultures (e.g., Japan, China, Middle Eastern countries) rely on indirect communication, implicit expectations, and relationship-building
- Low-context cultures (e.g., United States, Germany, Netherlands) prefer direct communication, explicit expectations, and clear guidelines
Loebl highlights a real-world example of cultural clashes in expectations:
“I worked with a company that had managers from Germany overseeing teams in Spain, Portugal, and Turkey. The Germans expected direct, structured communication, while the local teams preferred a more relational, indirect approach. Without adjusting the way expectations were set and communicated, there was constant friction.”
Leaders must be aware of these cultural nuances when setting workplace expectations, ensuring that communication resonates with all employees rather than creating confusion or frustration.
How to Reset Expectations That Actually Work for Everyone
To create alignment across diverse teams, entrepreneurs need a framework that ensures expectations are inclusive, transparent, and adaptable.
At Revolving Change, we use our Discover, Design, Deliver (3‑D) process to guide this reset.
Discover the Disconnect: What’s Missing in Your Team’s Alignment
Before resetting workplace expectations, leaders must identify where generational and cultural differences are causing misalignment.
Steps to Discover Cultural and Generational Gaps in Expectations:
- Audit Workplace Communication: Assess if your leadership style aligns with how different generations and cultures prefer to receive information
- Observe Team Dynamics: Look for signs of miscommunication, disengagement, or generational conflicts that stem from unclear expectations
- Gather Feedback from Employees: Conduct surveys, focus groups, and one-on-one discussions to understand employee perspectives on expectations
- Assess Diversity and Inclusion Practices: Ensure expectations are not biased toward one cultural or generational group
Loebl stresses the importance of feedback in expectation-setting:
“A key part of resetting expectations is making sure employees can say, ‘This is unclear to me,’ or, ‘This doesn’t work in my culture.’ If leaders don’t create space for these conversations, they will impose expectations that don’t fit their workforce.”
Design with Diversity in Mind: Resetting for Real Inclusivity
Once leaders identify misalignments, they need a structured, inclusive approach to resetting expectations.
Key Strategies for Designing Inclusive Workplace Expectations:
- Use Multiple Communication Styles: Combine direct (email, written policies) and relational (meetings, discussions) approaches to accommodate different preferences
- Clarify Roles and Responsibilities: Ensure that expectations are transparent, specific, and adaptable to different working styles
- Foster a Feedback-Driven Culture: Create structured check-ins, pulse surveys, and listening sessions to adjust expectations continuously
- Train Managers on Generational and Cultural Awareness: Provide leadership teams with tools to recognize and adapt to diverse expectations
Loebl highlights a key mistake that leaders make:
“Some cultures and generations need a gentler, slower approach to expectations. Others want a straight-to-the-point conversation. If leaders assume one-size-fits-all, they will always struggle with alignment.”
Deliver the Shift: Build Buy-In and Make It Stick
Once new expectations are defined, leaders must integrate them into daily workflows to ensure ongoing clarity and alignment.
Steps to Sustain Inclusive Workplace Expectations:
- Embed Expectation Discussions in Performance Reviews
- Make expectations an ongoing conversation rather than a one-time event
- Leverage Diversity Training Programs
- Help teams understand how different cultures and generations view expectations
- Monitor Engagement and Adapt as Needed
- Use metrics like employee engagement scores and feedback responses to assess if expectations are working
- Encourage a Culture of Open Communication
- Normalize asking for clarity and resetting expectations when needed
Loebl reinforces the importance of long-term commitment to expectation-setting:
“Expectation management is not a one-time thing. Leaders need to keep adjusting based on what their people need. If you’re not constantly revisiting expectations, you will fall behind.”
Final Thought: Leadership Requires Cultural and Generational Awareness
Leaders who fail to adjust expectations to fit generational and cultural differences risk creating workplace disengagement, miscommunication, and tension.
By implementing a structured approach to resetting expectations, organizations can:
- Improve collaboration and communication across diverse teams
- Reduce conflicts caused by unclear expectations
- Foster a more inclusive, adaptable, and high-performing workforce
Ignoring these dynamics will only lead to higher turnover, decreased engagement, and operational inefficiencies.
Take Action Now, or Forget Forever.
Lead your diverse team with clarity
Misaligned expectations cause friction, especially in multicultural and multigenerational teams.
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