What Should You Be Doing? How Do You Know?

(Generic Ideals of a Position/Job Description)

Broad Purpose

Serves as the primary reference for me and my manager to set objectives for my work and to focus, monitor and assess the effectiveness of my efforts.

Desired Outcomes

Clarifies where my work begins and ends (tells me what I need to achieve, why, and to what standards).

Helps determine if I am capable of what is required and desired.

Assists me to set targets for my development and establish the nature of guidance and support I will need to achieve them.

Establishes a basis for performance-measurement (against the general requirements of the position) and for specific performance commitments agreed to in an objective-setting process.

Gives sufficient indication of the desired organisational culture (values, principles, policies and desired behavioural practices) to help me -

• Keep my methodology (how I approach the work and how I work with others) on target
• Recognise and establish the presence or absence or the desired culture.

Provides a context for the job, by demonstrating how my work contributes to the organisation's Big Picture (organisational purpose, plans and current strategy).

Distinguishes my contribution to the Big Picture, from others'.

Shows the alignment, complementarity or "fit" with others' positions.

Reduces stress caused by uncertainty and unclarity.

Prevents and reduces conflict about responsibility overlaps or underlaps.

Contents

Clarifies the following, accurately, simply and straightforwardly:

A: Job Specification

1. Position title.
2. Purpose of the unit or group within which the position is established.
3. Purpose of the position.
4. Reporting relationships and (if different) source(s) of supervision, coaching and guidance for my development.
5. Supervisory relationships.
6. Functional relationships (those who are my customers or clients) within the organisation and externally.
7. Duties and responsibilities. ¹
8. Performance criteria. ²
9. Key dimensions of resources controlled: revenue, expenditure, capital assets, and employees.
10. Appraisal processes by which my performance will be monitored and measured.
11. Performance review/appraisal schedule, including periodicity and date of next appraisal, constantly updated).
12. Remuneration. Salary for the position or reference-points such as scales, bands, ranges, applicable to the position.

B: Person Specification

1. Prerequisite experience and qualifications
2. Desirable experience and qualifications
3. The skills, knowledge and qualities that must be demonstrated, expressed in measurable terms.
4. The skills, knowledge and qualities which are desirable, expressed in measurable terms.

C: Organisational Culture

Provides ready reference to full information about (and may contain a brief summary of) -

1. Organisational purpose.
2. Organisational values.
3. Organisational policies.
4. (If different), the desired organisational culture.
5. Elements of the current strategic or business plan relevant to the position.
6. Leadership and management philosophy and policy, including definitions of leadership and management and descriptions of their (observable and measurable) practices.
7. The specific behaviours regarded as evidence of the desired organisational culture.
8. Conditions of appointment.
9. This position's alignment, complementarity or "fit" with other key positions.
10. A definition of team and competence criteria of teamwork if teams and teamwork are desired.
11. The organisation's preferred or required decision-making, problem-solving and conflict resolution methodology, expressed as models and measurable behaviours.

General

1. To encourage creativity, self-initiative and self-responsibility, the document should avoid over-detailing tasks and over-prescribing methodology.
2. To aid the intention of providing clarity while reducing confusion and stress, the document should avoid jargon and indefinable, meaningless or unmeasurable clichés and phrases such as:
   
   
   • . . . and such other duties as may be from time to time be directed
   • Team-player
   • People-person
   • Can-do attitude
   • Behaves professionally
   • Asks the "what if" questions
   • Exhibits excellence
   • Manages effectively
   • Demonstrates belief and trust in others
   • Relates well to people from all walks of life
   • Deals effectively with people in conflict situations
   • Treats staff and colleagues with respect
   • Shares information appropriately
   • Demonstrates high standards of behaviour and credibility
   • Interacts with others in a pleasant and effective manner
   • Resolves conflicts constructively
   • Acts with integrity
   • Completes work to high standards
   • Effectively manages a range of views
   • Works well under pressure
   • Confident to get message across
   • Self-starter
   • Good (or effective) communicator
   • Uses a tone and style that is appropriate.

---

¹ Although terminology will differ between organisations, these are best grouped within a hierarchy of (a) key accountabilities (headings only); (b) desired outcomes (or objectives) within each accountability; and (c) tasks necessary to achieve the objectives.

² These provide completions to this preamble: "The position is being performed effectively when . . . ". They are the criteria against which performance will be reviewed and assessed; and are most useful when described as measurable (quantifiable or observable) behaviours, events and activities.

---

Select and contact a Mentor if you'd like to discuss these ideas or want support to make progress with your own issues.

Click here to subscribe Encouraging Progress our free, online newsletter.

[Send this page to a friend]

[ Back to top ]
 

[ Return ]