I try not to quote or link to Seth Godin very often (not because he’s not amazing, but because it’s too easy), but:
1. I’m seeing him speak in person for the first time today, and
2. His short post yesterday is such a great exercise. In “What’s Your Job,” Seth wants to know your answer to the titular (not what you think it means, Ryan) question, but he opens the post with this crucial clarification:
Not your job title, but your job. What do you do when you’re doing your work? What’s difficult and important about what you do, what change do you make, what do you do that’s hard to live without and worth paying for?
Godin’s post then gives several examples of possible jobs as opposed to job titles.
Can you distill your job down to a couple clear sentences? Go ahead – right now – and try. We’ll wait… …
In our company, Lynn creates and implements systems to make sure our clients stay delighted. She gives our company the edges and corners we need to be great.
Ryan delivers effective, persuasive concepts and copy for our clients on deadline every single time.
Deidre makes sure everyone gets paid and that we treat our own team as our most important customers.
Adam helps our clients stretch every penny of their media budget, and he does it with humor and grace.
Michele helps us separate the wheat from chaff, connect dots, and tells us hard truths.
As for me? I keep thinking up a hundred ideas a day and transfer confidence and enthusiasm in the best ones to our clients and blog readers.
I’m not sure, of course, but I’m guessing our team would pretty much agree with those jobs.
Can you do the same with everyone in your company, location or department? Why not have everyone do it, then go around the table and share. See where people’s perceptions are the same or different. Then, study your map of the customer experience and see if you have any gaps.
I know ours, and it’s helped us clarify jobs 7 and 8 on our team.
What if you struggle with your own or someone else’s? Well, as Godin concludes:
If your only job is “showing up,” time to raise the stakes.
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