Sunday, May 18, 2014

On Job Descriptions

By Robert Ringer

To many in our entitlement-addicted society, going the extra mile is a jogging term. On more than one occasion, I’ve heard a worker insist that something he was asked to do was not part of his “job description.” Balderdash. Precise job descriptions are B.S. in the world of the entrepreneur.

I guess I’m just old fashioned, but, to me, everyone’s job description is to do whatever it takes to please both his employer and his company’s customers. If this isn’t the description of his job that a person holds in his mind, he’s probably not going to go very far in his company — or in life in general. A person who uses his official job description as a shield against having to please customers is destined to go through life frustrated over his lack of advancement.

A true entrepreneur never uses the excuse that he’s too tired or, worse, too busy to deliver what he promised and deliver it on time. He knows that customers don’t have a great deal of interest in how tired or how busy he is.

Always keep in mind that when you do whatever it takes to get the job done, it separates you from the pack.

ROBERT RINGER is a New York Times #1 bestselling author who has appeared on numerous national radio and television shows, including The Tonight Show, Today, The Dennis Miller Show, Good Morning America, ABC Nightline, The Charlie Rose Show, as well as Fox News and Fox Business. To sign up for a free subscription to his mind-expanding daily insights, visit www.robertringer.com.

Copyright © 2014 Robert Ringer

4 comments:

  1. Yeah, it allows the company to pay you less for doing more. Sounds good. When I did this, the company moved me into a management position, but didn't change the compensation. The result? I worked my ass off while the people working for me were able to concentrate on their area of expertise, and they actually made more money than I did with the extra headache.

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    1. Exactly. Great point, Anon @ 6:12 PM

      "A person who uses his official job description as a shield against having to please customers is destined to go through life frustrated over his lack of advancement."

      Maybe so, but there is no value in doing extra work for the same amount of pay.

      You choose to take a job because it pays you what you will voluntarily accept in return for what you voluntarily agree to do.

      Wage labor is a trade relationship, not one of hierarchy. Both parties are free to trade or not.

      And no, this is not to say that the employer owes the employee anything - except that to which was voluntarily agreed.

      Delete
  2. I like most things of Ringer's. This was good too. I think I will use the following in my next resume, "JOB DESCRIPTION: To do whatever it takes to please both employer and company’s customers."

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  3. The reward is more work. I've pushed myself to do as much as possible in as little time as possible at every job I've had since I was a teenager. It just doesn't work. The problem is that I've spent too much time carrying more and more work load and making millions for the companies and not enough time socializing with the people who could advance my career.

    Advancing in one's career IME has -nothing- to do with how much work one does or how much money a person makes for the company, it's about who's friends with who. Sorry. Just the way I've experienced it.

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