Job Descriptions – Standards of Excellence or Minimal Required Standards?

What does a Job Description tell us? How does an employee respond when s/he sees job description for her/his role?

Job descriptions do tell us what is expected of the role. But what is the nature of these expectations? If a job description says A,B,C, and D needs to be done, should role incumbent just do A,B,C, and D and nothing else? A similar dilemma exists for Key Performance Indicators agreed on to for a role at the start of the year.

I would argue that job descriptions and Key Performance Indicators are minimal required conditions at the best. They define the skeleton.

To put flesh on that skeleton, is left to us. How much flesh we put on the skeleton and what contours the body takes depends on our willingness to exert ourselves.

This is a different way of looking at work. If we were to equate job descriptions and KPIs with something akin to accounting or quality standards, then meeting ‘job standards’ doesn’t necessarily lead to excellence. What is required is positive deviation over and above ‘job standards’ specified. How much deviation and in what direction – that is something which ‘individual energies’ would determine?

The question to ask oneself is ‘What am I going to do today which is over and above what my job description or KPI demands?’

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Sourav