According to Stephen R. Covey on his book Speed Of Trust, communicating with clarity of expectations most specially at work, lessens confusion and stress. It produces momentum and productivity. One way of checking to see if your communication is clear is to check for clarity by asking the following questions.
– What have you understood from this conversation?
– As a result of your interaction, what do you see as your next steps? What do you see is mine?
– Do you feel that others are clear regarding expectations?
– What can we do to make things more clear?
So next time you have a project at work, create a clear project agreement in advance. If you’re in charge, suggest the idea to your team leader or write up an agreement on your own. Tell your team leader, “This is my understanding of what you expect and what I can do. Do you see it differently”, or simply ask- “Let me know if it’s clear or not”. Here’s the bottom line- Don’t assume that expectations are clear. Get into the habit of checking and validating.
The Game Changer 
During the beginning of my career, I remember my boss teaching me these. Always make sure that everything is clear. And up to this day, I still practice it whether in business analysis or software development. Check and double check.
Great post Ric!
Great reminder! Nicely focused post; itself a perfect primer when I need to revisit the habit of staying focused…, and clearly understood. Thanks!