In the article Five Steps to Building a Successful Business, there is a line in step #4 that suggestions company owners create job descriptions that are position-, not person-, driven. Let’s discuss this idea.
Why are position-driven duties and job descriptions better than just listing what needs to be done and handing that list to a qualified individual? In the short term, the to-do list is expedient, but in the long run, if there are problems or challenges, it is far easier to address those problems in the third person, rather than attack an individual, which makes the job more personal than it needs to be.
Job descriptions help managers avoid a confrontational exchange based on “You failed to do these tasks.” Instead both the manager and the staff member can stand on the same side of the table and look at the job description – the third entity in the conversation.
So instead of saying YOU need to do these tasks, it’s actually easier to say, “The Operations Director position needs to contribute these things to the business – is that possible for you?” By focusing on the position and what the position should accomplish can help steer the conversation to what the company needs, so it’s not personal.