What is your job description?

I don’t remember how I stumbled across this post in the Small Business section of the NY Times, “What is the Boss’s Job Description,” but I’m glad I did. Not only am I now fantasizing about attending the MIT entrepreneur/CEO program, where for five days annually for three years 60 CEO's meet and learn about taking their businesses to the next level, but there are some good lessons to be had in the exercises described in the post as well.

The author of this post is a first year participant and CEO of an online backup service. Upon thinking about how someone would train for or take over her job, she realizes that she probably wastes time each time on tasks that others are better equipped, and better utilized, in executing. She proposes therefore that we all examine the roles in our company to study the distribution of employees across departments, the overlap of their responsibilities, and where we may be spread too thin or overindulging ourselves. While she’s likely proposing this exercise for those at the top level of management, I think anyone could utilize the same steps she describes to study their role in a company, community organization, or even a class workgroup, to illuminate areas of their job description that need further support, or even instances of success that could provide a model other departments or procedures.

I’m going to give it a try for my job and let you guys know how I do! Check back soon.