In the workplace, we tend to define ourselves by job titles and job descriptions. Your title states what you do, what you are in charge of, what your responsibilities are, and also what is outside of your scope. His job title defines what he should do and what, frankly, doesn’t concern him; it lets you know when he’s meeting his obligations and, perhaps, when he’s really going the extra mile.
But what if we didn’t have job titles?
What if you arrived at work one day and there was no longer any hierarchy, no way to categorize your team members? Would it be disastrous? Would it mean that work would come to a standstill, or would people do whatever it took to make the team successful, regardless of whether it was really “their responsibility” or not?
I’m not saying that this is how things should be. Job titles and hierarchies serve useful functions in coordinating the office and facilitating project management and delegation. However, your response to this hypothetical scenario can be revealing. It can tell a lot about your propensity for real leadership.
True leadership means understanding your job description and the job descriptions of everyone on your team, but it also means not being tied for those descriptions. Leadership is not about just doing what is part of your job description. It’s about doing anything and everything you can to lift your team members to a place where they can succeed, and making sure everyone works together to achieve team goals.
True leaders know that job descriptions can be helpful, but they don’t tell the full story of their team members and their unique talents. You might have someone whose job title technically involves sales and customer service, but what if that person is also an extraordinarily gifted writer? Allowing that team member to write a few posts on the company blog will be a blessing to the entire team and will also help that team member feel respected, affirmed, and appreciated. It’s a win for all parties, but to tap into that potential, you need to get to know your team members. beyond just their job titles.
And by the way: You also need to know your own strengths and weaknesses beyond what your job description implies. Leaders are willing to seriously assess and assess themselves and know where to engage and where to delegate. This may mean going outside the lines of your official, formal job description, and if so, so be it.
Leadership means understanding your team, its members and their goals, including but not limited to the titles held by individuals.